More than 100,000 elderly patients across England, including over 53,000 individuals aged 80 or above, faced waits of up to three days in Accident and Emergency corridors and waiting rooms last year before being admitted to a hospital ward. This alarming situation, described as "routine" in some NHS hospitals, has sparked urgent calls for government action to address what Age UK condemns as a systemic failure in patient care.
Staggering Scale of Delays for Vulnerable Patients
Age UK's comprehensive analysis, based on Freedom of Information requests, paints a distressing picture of prolonged A&E waits for the elderly. The charity's findings indicate that some patients were reportedly forced to lie on the floor and wash in toilet sinks during these extended delays, highlighting the severe impact on dignity and wellbeing.
Government Response and NHS Performance Data
Age UK has expressed serious doubts that the government fully appreciates the gravity of this situation or possesses a concrete plan to resolve it. The charity is demanding immediate implementation of a funded strategy with specific deadlines to reduce A&E waiting times and eliminate "corridor care" practices entirely.
Recent NHS England performance figures for December reveal the broader context of this crisis, with 50,775 patients waiting over twelve hours and 137,763 patients waiting at least four hours from the decision to admit to actual admission. These statistics underscore the systemic pressures facing emergency departments nationwide.
Calls for Systemic Reform and Accountability
Beyond immediate action on waiting times, Age UK is advocating for regular, transparent data collection on corridor care incidents and the appointment of a dedicated minister with clear responsibility for addressing this issue. The charity emphasizes that without these structural changes, vulnerable elderly patients will continue to suffer unacceptable delays in receiving appropriate hospital care.
The situation represents a critical challenge for healthcare policymakers, requiring both immediate intervention to protect current patients and long-term strategic planning to prevent future occurrences of such distressing delays in emergency care settings.
