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Accident and Emergency Departments: Standards

Asked by Sarah PochinReform UKDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 9 July 2026UIN 10379

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have waited longer than 12 hours in A&E departments in England in each of the last five years.

Answered by Karin Smyth

The Government and NHS England are committed to improving urgent and emergency care performance and reducing long waits for patients.

Information on the number of patients who spent more than 12 hours in accident and emergency departments in England from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge is published by NHS England and is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/

As part of delivering the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan 2025/26, the Government and NHS England have provided over £450 million of capital investment to expand urgent and emergency care capacity, alongside implementing new national clinical standards, including the Model Emergency Department and Model Acute Pathway, to improve patient flow, reduce overcrowding and ensure patients receive care more quickly in the most appropriate setting.

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