Newly released NHS data has exposed a deepening crisis within England's emergency care system, revealing that more than 1,700 patients were left waiting for at least 12 hours in A&E departments every single day throughout October.
A Grim Picture of Emergency Care
The official figures show a staggering 54,314 people who attended emergency departments in England faced delays of half a day or more before being admitted, transferred, or discharged. This represents a dramatic increase of more than a fifth compared to September's figure of 44,765.
Performance against the NHS's key target also deteriorated. Just seven in 10 patients were seen within four hours in October, a drop from 75.1% the previous month. The Government and NHS England have set a target of 78% to be met by March 2026, a goal that appears increasingly distant.
A System in 'State of National Emergency'
Leading medical experts have reacted with alarm to the statistics. Dr Vicky Price, President of the Society for Acute Medicine, slammed the figures, stating: 'We have warned repeatedly the NHS is in a state of national emergency and that remains the case.'
She highlighted the human cost, noting that the nearly 55,000 people facing 12-hour delays are 'vulnerable people receiving corridor care which was once the exception but is now an accepted norm.' Dr Price described the situation as 'distressing, dangerous and continues to cause serious and avoidable harm.'
The crisis is set against a backdrop of severe seasonal pressures. Flu cases in England are currently three times higher than normal, and NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey has warned that this winter will be one of the toughest the health service has ever faced.
Industrial Action and a Glimmer of Hope
Compounding the pressure, resident doctors are set to begin a five-day strike on Friday, marking the 13th such walkout since 2022. This industrial action threatens to further disrupt an already strained system.
Amid the bleak emergency care data, separate NHS figures offered a small positive note. The overall waiting list for routine hospital treatment fell for the first time in three months. An estimated 7.39 million procedures were waiting to be carried out at the end of September, down from 7.41 million in August.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting seized on this, arguing the NHS was 'now on the road to recovery.' He said, 'Thanks to the investment and modernisation this Government has made, waiting lists are falling and patients are being treated sooner.'
However, cancer patients faced longer waits, with none of the three national cancer targets met in September. Only 67.9% of newly-diagnosed cancer patients started treatment within two months, well below the 85% target.
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS national medical director, acknowledged the challenge ahead: 'There's no doubt NHS staff will be approaching their limits this winter.' She urged the public to get their flu, Covid, and RSV jabs if eligible to help ease the burden.
