The ten London NHS trusts with the longest A&E wait times have been revealed by new data - with Barts Health NHS Trust topping the list.
Figures published by NHS England show that 1,199 people waited more than 12 hours from the decision to admit to actually being admitted across the Trust’s three emergency departments in October.
On Thursday, the Trust warned that its emergency department in Whipps Cross hospital was “very busy” and that patients would face longer wait times. Anyone not in a medical emergency was urged to contact NHS 111.
More than 9,600 patients in London faced a wait of more than 12 hours in A&E in October, the figures showed, a rise of 28.3 per cent on the month before.
Nationally, the number of people waiting more than 12 hours stood at 49,592 in October, up from 38,880 in September and the third-highest monthly figure since comparable records began in 2010.
North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust had the second-highest proportion of 12-hour waits in the capital (848 patients), followed by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (835 patients).
The rest of the top ten are as follows:
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, where 828 patients waited more than 12 hours
- Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Trust, where 802 patients waited more than 12 hours
- St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where 798 patients waited more than 12 hours
- Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, where 753 patients waited more than 12 hours
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, where 692 patients waited more than 12 hours
- London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, where 674 patients waited more than 12 hours
Separate data shows that the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has fallen to its lowest level for five months.
An estimated 7.57 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of September, relating to 6.34 million patients – down from 7.64 million treatments and 6.42 million patients at the end of August.
The figures come as Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced plans to name and shame struggling hospitals as part of plans to ensure there are “no rewards for failure” in the health service.
NHS England will also carry out a “no holds barred” review of NHS performance across England, with the results made public in league tables which are regularly updated.
But health experts cast doubt over whether a league table would be effective, saying it could dent staff morale and lead to recruitment issues.
Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation, said of the figures: “The NHS continues to be facing record demand, with A&Es and ambulances having their busiest October ever. This comes after the busiest summer and September on record, so it is very concerning that the health service is running so hot ahead of what is expected to be another very difficult winter.
“NHS leaders and their teams are working incredibly hard and will continue to do so over the next few months. But with record numbers of patients who often have multiple or more complex conditions there is a real risk services could become overwhelmed and fall into crisis.”
