Accident and Emergency Departments: Older People

We recognise the pressures facing urgent and emergency care services and are committed to restoring waiting times to the standards set out in the NHS Constitution. The proportion of patients in accident and emergency admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours was 76.9% in April 2026, 2.1 percentage points higher than April 2025.

For patients who experience longer waits, including older and more vulnerable patients, there is clear clinical guidance that their condition should continue to be monitored while they are waiting. This is to ensure patient safety, including the early identification of any deterioration in condition and escalation where required, in line with national clinical standards.

More broadly, the Government and NHS England are taking significant action to reduce waiting times and improve patient flow. The NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework and the Model Emergency Department set out a clear trajectory to improve performance year-on-year, reduce long waits and overcrowding, and ensure patients are seen more quickly and in the most appropriate setting, supported by investment in staff, digital triage and community urgent care.

Expanding care outside hospital is also central to reducing pressure on emergency departments, improving outcomes, particularly for older and frail patients. Urgent community response services, including urgent community response teams and virtual wards, provide rapid care at home, helping to avoid unnecessary attendances and admissions and supporting independence.