Accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times

Part of The NHS in a nutshell

Posted:Tuesday 17 September 2019

Accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times are one of the most high-profile indicators of how hospitals are performing. How is A&E performance measured and what influences how long people wait?

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An alternative guide to the urgent and emergency care system in England

An alternative guide to the urgent and emergency care system in England

This animation explains how the urgent and emergency care system fits together and shows how solving problems in A&E requires a joined-up response across all services.

What’s going on with A&E waiting times?

Waiting times in accident and emergency (A&E) departments are a key measure of how the NHS is performing. In recent years, patients have been waiting longer in A&E; here we look at why that is.

What does the NHS England review of waiting times mean for accident and emergency departments?

As NHS England proposes new waiting times targets, Siva Anandaciva weighs up the impact of the four-hour target and outlines seven key issues for the new standards that have been proposed for emergency departments.

Inside England’s first accident and emergency department for older people

With accident and emergency performance reaching new lows across England, one NHS hospital is taking an innovative approach to meet the needs of its older patients.

The politics of health: what do the public think about the NHS?

Dan Wellings reviews the polls to uncover what the public are looking for from politicians when it comes to the NHS.

More NHS in a nutshell

The NHS in a nutshell

Essential facts and figures to understand how the NHS works

Hospital beds over time

Data visualisation

The number of hospital beds

Over the past three decades the number of hospital beds has been declining in England. This is a result of medical advances and a shift in policy towards providing treatment and care outside hospital.

Data visualisation

Hospital activity

The NHS is treating more patients than ever before, with hospitals experiencing increases in attendances at A&E departments, non-elective (emergency) admissions, elective admissions, and outpatient attendances.

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