The number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in A&E stood at a record 61,529 in January (Image: Getty)
The number of patients languishing for more than 12-hours in A&E stood at a record 61,529 last month as the NHS faces unprecedented pressure, latest figures show.
The nnumber is up from 54,207 in December and surpasses the previous record high for a calendar month, 54,573 in December 2022.
Data relates from a decision to keep someone in hospital to the individual being admitted and lays bare that capacity is now at breaking point.
Meanwhile, the number waiting at least four hours from a decision to admit to admission also rose, although not to a new record, standing at 159,582 in January, up from 154,689 in December. The record for this measure is 170,121 in December 2022.
It means 73% of patients in England were seen within four hours in A&Es in January, up from 71.1% in December.
NHS England has set a new target for 78% of patients attending A&E to be admitted, discharged or transferred within four hours, by March 2026.
The chaos engulfing the NHS comes as 2,059 patients in England had been waiting more than 18-months to start routine treatment at the end of December, up from 2,051 in November.
There were also 15,568 patients who had been waiting more than 65 weeks to start treatment.
A total of 200,375 patients had been waiting more than 52 weeks to start routine hospital treatment at the end of December, down from 221,889 at the end of November and the lowest number since November 2020.
The Government has pledged that by July 2029, 92% of patients will be seen within 18-weeks for routine hospital treatment such as hip and knee replacements.
However, figures show one in 10 is still waiting for elective [planned] treatment.
One in 10 patients in England is still waiting for planned hospital treatment to start (Image: Getty)
Nuffield Trust Deputy Director of Research Sarah Scobie said: “With over one in 10 people in England waiting for planned hospital treatment, cutting patient waiting times is now front-and-centre of government priorities. Encouragingly, the list has continued to fall for another month, with 42,930 fewer patients waiting in December than in November. But much of this could be down to the fact that December is always a quieter month for referrals
“Our analysis this week reveals a worrying deterioration in the finances of NHS trusts. The figures show just how tough it will be to meet the Government’s aim to move care closer to home without additional funding and in the face of severe pressures on hospitals.”
Ms Scobie said: “Meanwhile, ambulance crews and emergency departments are struggling in the face of winter pressures, crowded A&Es and lack of hospital beds. Of patients admitted to hospital from A&E in January, 61,529 people spent more than 12 hours on trolleys waiting for a proper bed to become available. Patients with emergencies such as strokes waited an average of 35 minutes and 40 seconds for an ambulance – it’s far from certain the newly announced target to get these waits down to an average of 30 minutes across 2025/26 will be met.
“The latest weekly data shows the number of beds occupied by patients with norovirus continues to rise, while over 14,000 beds on average in the week beginning February 3 were filled with patients who were fit to be discharged but stuck waiting.”
The NHS data also shows an average of 14,087 hospital beds each day last week were filled with patients who were fit to leave hospital but with nowhere to go – so-called delayed discharges.
This is up from 13,776 the previous week and is the highest number so far this winter.
The Government has pledged that by July 2029, 92% of patients will be seen within 18-weeks (Image: Getty)
Lib Dem Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan said: “The pressure on hospitals remains immense. Patients are waiting hours for treatment and many are unable to get the care they need, with potentially deadly consequences.
“Without fixing social care we will just see this cycle of misery repeat itself year after year.
“This winter has shown that patients cannot wait another three years for action. The government must complete its social care review within the next year at the very latest. Only with a functioning care system can we get people out of hospital beds, relieve the pressure on A&Es, and ensure everyone gets the care they deserve.”
NHS boss Amanda Pritchard said: “We’ve seen a reduction in longest waits really significantly over the last couple of years – after people were waiting two years for care, now we’ve reduced the number of people waiting a year by over 50%.
“We have got loads further to go, and we’re really committed to getting to that 18-week target by the end of this Parliament.”