A&E Waiting Times: New Study reveals NHS Trusts in England with the worst emergency department wait times

A new study has found that A&E waiting times in 64% of NHS organisations in England are failing to meet the four-hour standard pledged under the NHS Constitution.

Every month in England, 2.17 million patients seek care at A&E across 188 NHS organisations. A half-year analysis of A&E wait times has found that, on average, 39% of patients seeking A&E care wait over four hours to be admitted, transferred or discharged.

Between August 2023 and January 2024, 844,150 A&E patients in England waited over four hours to be admitted, transferred or discharged, with 41,305 patients waiting more than 12 hours at emergency departments across England every month.

The research, carried out by personal injury experts at Claims.co.uk, looks at the six-month average from NHS data dating from August 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024. The study uncovered that across England, 4.57% of A&E patients are waiting between four and 12 hours, with 1.9% waiting over 12 hours to be admitted, discharged or transferred.

At least 94 out of 188 NHS organisations with A&E departments in England are not meeting the "four-hour standard", which aims to have 95% of all A&E patients admitted, discharged or transferred within four hours from arrival. The study analysed the waiting times patients experienced from the moment a decision to admit them had been made, known as a "trolley wait", until they had been discharged or transferred, which means that the total time patients wait in A&E from arrival is even longer.

The worst figures were from the East of England, with 11 out of 16 NHS organisations struggling to keep the four-hour waiting standard. The Countess of Chester Hospital in the North West had the highest rates of patients waiting 12-hours, with one in 11 patients waiting over half a day to be admitted, discharged or transferred.

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust in Stourbridge had the worst waits lasting between four to 12 hours, with an estimated 15% A&E patients waiting those times. Whilst, Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Northamptonshire and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust followed close behind, with 13.25% and 10.68% of A&E patients, being left to wait between four to 12 hours to be admitted, discharged or transferred.

NHS Trusts with the longest A&E wait times in England

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust:

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 8.85%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 610

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 7.73%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 894

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 7.59%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 967

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 6.83%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 715

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 6.64%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 831

East Cheshire NHS Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 6.18%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 269

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 6.02%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 464

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 5.87%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 2,007

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 5.82%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 558

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

• A&E patients waiting over 12h: 5.70%
• Number of A&E patients waiting over 12h every month, on average: 1,153

Speaking about the findings of the study, a spokesperson for Claims.co.uk commented: "There is a common sense of gratitude for the NHS staff, especially in light of their dedication during the pandemic period, yet there are systemic elements that unnecessarily prolong the suffering of patients just when they are at their most vulnerable."

They continued: "It is shocking that nearly 70% of NHS organisations with A&E departments in the East of England struggle to provide the urgent care their patients need in their most desperate times. Regional patterns indicate systemic issues."

Adding: "The NHS notes that the four-hour standard has not been met since July 2015. More importantly, the data we analysed is about patients who did attend an A&E department, but so many of us can relate to a situation where we avoid going to the hospital at all costs simply because it would take far too long to be seen. For some, this can have irreparable consequences."

Sarah McCann is a Trends Writer for NationalWorld who specialises in stories around TV, Film and Health. If you liked this article you can follow Sarah on X (Twitter) here. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.