A file 420,000 sufferers wait greater than 12 hours in A&E

The variety of sufferers ready greater than 12 hours in A&E has elevated by 5,000 per cent in 4 years, evaluation exhibits.

A file 420,000 individuals confronted prolonged ready instances whereas being admitted to hospital from an emergency division final yr, the best annual quantity since 2011.

One in 15 A&E sufferers had ‘trolley waits’ of 12 hours or extra, a 20 per cent rise from 2022.

Patricia Marquis, of the Royal College of Nursing, mentioned: ‘Behind the numbers are individuals struggling for hours with no privateness and left at risk of their well being drastically deteriorating.

‘Patients will not get the care they deserve till the Government commits to secure nurse staffing ranges however we are going to by no means be capable of entice and hold sufficient nurses within the occupation till the Government pays them pretty.’

The variety of sufferers ready greater than 12 hours in A&E has elevated by 5,000 per cent in 4 years, evaluation exhibits (Stock picture)

Almost half of sufferers in some trusts, such because the North Middlesex University Hospital Trust, waited greater than half a day, in line with Lib Dem evaluation.

In 2019, 8,272 individuals waited 12 hours or extra to be admitted to hospital at A&E. This elevated to 419,560 in 2023.

Significant waits in A&E have been linked to extra deaths and elevated hurt to sufferers.

Lib Dem chief Sir Ed Davey accused the Government of ignoring the struggling of sufferers. ‘These appalling delays are leaving usually weak and aged sufferers ready for hours on finish in overcrowded A&Es,’ he mentioned.

NHS information for December confirmed hospital mattress occupancy remained at 93.5 per cent, with 151,295 sufferers – one in 9 – going through 12 hour waits in A&Es.

The Department of Health and Social Care mentioned ministers have been working exhausting to cut back ready instances (Stock picture)

Patricia Marquis, of the Royal College of Nursing, mentioned: ‘Behind the numbers are individuals struggling for hours with no privateness and left at risk of their well being drastically deteriorating

Delays are prone to have been exacerbated by waves of business motion by nurses and consultants, in addition to walkouts by junior medical doctors throughout the busiest time of yr for the well being service.

Waiting instances have been described as ‘shameful, distressing and deeply saddening’ by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

The Department of Health and Social Care mentioned ministers have been working exhausting to cut back ready instances, with greater than 8,500 sufferers handled on digital wards at house, slightly than in hospital, within the run-up to Christmas.

A spokesman mentioned: ‘Our pressing and emergency care restoration plan is reducing each A&E waits and ambulance response instances in comparison with final yr – however we all know there may be extra to do.

‘We are on observe to ship a further 5,000 everlasting staffed hospital beds this winter and have met our goal to ship 10,000 digital ward beds, permitting sufferers to get well from the consolation of acquainted environment.

‘We lately offered £800million to assist capability within the NHS and assist sufferers get the care they want as rapidly as potential.’

NHS England was approached for remark.