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The Liberal Democrats are warning that long waits in A&E are ‘becoming the norm’, after a new analysis found that one in 10 patients waited 12 hours or more in A&E over the past year.
The political party analysed previously ‘hidden data’ from NHS England to reveal that, in total, more than 1.5 million patients faced waits of 12 hours or more in A&E between February 2023 and January 2024.
NHS guidance states that no more than 2% of patients should wait 12 hours or more from their time of arrival to being admitted, transferred or discharged.
One in four patients waiting 12 hours or more at some NHS trusts
The analysis reveals a postcode lottery of care, with around a quarter of patients at some NHS trusts facing A&E delays of 12 hours or more.
For example, in January, 26% of patients presenting at Blackpool Teaching hospitals waited 12 hours or more at A&E, making it the worst performing hospital for A&E admissions in the country.
This was closely followed by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital (25.4%), Lincolnshire Hospitals (24.5%) and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals (23.1%).
By contrast, only 1% of patients at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust waited 12 hours or more after arriving at A&E.
Long waits in A&E putting patient safety at risk
Long waits at A&E have been linked to significant patient harm, and research from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has previously estimated that for every 82 admitted patients whose transfer to a hospital bed is delayed beyond 6 to 8 hours from arrival, there is one extra death.
Rory Deighton, director of the acute network at the NHS Confederation, says the long waits are “putting patient safety at risk” and have left frontline staff “feeling frustrated” that they cannot provide the best care possible.
“Day after day staff are working to cope with a ceaseless demand for care, with our members reporting patients arriving sicker or with more co-morbidities, amid rota gaps caused by sickness or vacancies,” he said.
“Pressure now extends from the front doors of hospitals right to the back – ambulance handover delays are too long, and bed occupancy is too high, with too many patients still in hospital beds despite being medically fit enough to leave. These problems are having an impact across the whole urgent and emergency care system.”
Mr Deighton says social care needs adequate funding and support to ensure timely discharges can be made, as well as a workforce plan to mirror that of the NHS.
“Without support to get patients out of hospital more effectively, the pressure is likely to remain in emergency departments,” he said.