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UK Hospitals: Over 13,000 Wait 3+ Days in A&E
23 Apr
Summary
- Over 13,000 patients endured waits exceeding three days in England's A&E.
- Daily waits in A&E have surged by a third since the previous year.
- Doctors express shame over undignified and unsafe patient treatment.
More than 13,000 patients in England's emergency departments faced waits exceeding three days last year. An analysis found that 493,751 patients spent over 24 hours in A&E, with 13,386 enduring waits of at least three days.
The figures for 24-hour waits have risen by a third since 2023. While 72-hour waits have decreased from a 2023 peak, experts note the overall problem of very long A&E delays is worsening. Doctors describe the situation as undignified and unsafe, with some patients preferring to die at home rather than face hospital waits.
An NHS spokesperson acknowledged that too many people are waiting unacceptably long times and are being treated in inappropriate spaces. Reforms to the urgent and emergency care system are underway. Figures from March showed 46,665 people waited more than 12 hours from decision to admit to actual admission, a decrease from February.
