Delays in A&E are causing as many as 50 deaths a day, shocking new figures reveal
DELAYS in A&E are causing as many as 50 deaths a day, shocking new figures revealed.
NHS staff warned of “dangerous” and “degrading” conditions as hospitals struggle to cope with the surge in flu cases.
A lack of beds and staff have also been blamed for the spike in deaths caused by the backlog in treating emergency cases.
More than a dozen hospitals have declared critical incidents in the past week as they are overwhelmed by demand, with many patients being told to go elsewhere.
Some have faced up to two-day waits in A&E or were treated in corridors because no beds are available.
Official figures published on Thursday showed that one in eight patients spent more than 12 hours in A&E last month, with long waits over the course of last year 16 per cent higher than in 2023.
Research showed that death rates rose for those stuck in A&E longer than eight to 12 hours, with estimates by The Royal College of Emergency Medicine claiming that 14,000 people died in 2023 as a result of A&E delays.
It’s estimated that excess deaths due to delays rose to about 16,000 last year using the same calculations.
Last month, when 166,989 patients waited more than 12 hours, this means an estimated 50 excess deaths a day, even before the worst of this year’s pressures hit.
Adrian Boyle, president of the college, told The Times: “We are analysing the data, and if confirmed, the truly awful figure must be a wake-up call.
“Let me be clear, this isn’t just a statistic or a headline.
“Every one of these deaths is a person, and each death is avoidable. Mums, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles — each loved dearly by families and friends — who are no longer with us.”