Freshly released NHS performance statistics for England have cast a stark light on the extreme pressures facing hospital emergency departments, revealing a dramatic postcode lottery for patients in the capital.
A Tale of Two Cities: The Best and Worst of A&E
The figures, published for the first time at an individual hospital level, show a healthcare landscape of sharp contrasts. Kingston Hospital in southwest London recorded the lowest proportion of patients seen within four hours anywhere in England, with a mere 29% of people being admitted, transferred, or discharged within the target time during October. This performance falls drastically below the national average of 74.1%.
In a striking juxtaposition, Moorfields Eye Hospital on City Road topped the national league table for the speediest emergency care. An impressive 96.7% of its patients were seen within the crucial four-hour window, highlighting the vast disparities in patient experience across London's NHS trusts.
National Pressures and 'Corridor Care' Concerns
While the overall waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England saw a slight decrease to 7.39 million treatments by the end of September, other critical areas show significant strain. The practice of 'corridor care' – patients waiting over 12 hours in A&E from a decision to admit to actual admission – rose sharply to 54,314 cases in October, up from 44,765 in September.
Cancer care is also facing severe challenges. In September, only 73.9% of patients urgently referred with suspected cancer received a diagnosis or had the disease ruled out within 28 days, missing the national target of 75%. A deeper look reveals a concerning gap: while 75.3% of those who did not have cancer were informed within 28 days, just 52.2% of patients who did have cancer received their confirmed diagnosis within the same timeframe.
A System Under Strain: Ambulances and Diagnostics
The pressures extend beyond hospital walls. Ambulance response times for the most critical, life-threatening calls averaged eight minutes and one second in October, exceeding the seven-minute target. For serious emergencies like heart attacks and strokes, crews took an average of over 32 minutes to respond.
Furthermore, diagnostic delays persist. More than 380,000 people in England had been waiting longer than six weeks for a key diagnostic test in September, such as an MRI scan or ultrasound. This represents 22.5% of all patients waiting for these crucial checks.
The government and NHS England have set a series of targets for March 2026, aiming to improve A&E performance, reduce long cancer wait times, and cut ambulance response times. However, these latest figures underscore the immense challenge that lies ahead in stabilising a healthcare system still reeling from pandemic backlogs and ongoing demand.
