Accident and Emergency Departments: Berkshire

The Government is committed to restoring urgent and emergency care waiting times to the standards set out in the NHS Constitution.

Operational delivery of urgent and emergency care services is the responsibility of local National Health Service organisations. NHS England is working with integrated care boards and NHS trusts across England, including those serving Slough and Berkshire, to improve patient flow, reduce overcrowding, and tackle long waits.

Through delivering the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, the Government and NHS England have provided over £450 million of investment in urgent and emergency care capacity. This includes support for Same Day Emergency Care services, Urgent Treatment Centres, Mental Health Crisis Assessment Centres, and ambulance services.

NHS England has also published the Model Emergency Department and the Model Acute Pathway standards for the first 72 hours of care, which support earlier assessment, timely senior clinical review, faster clinical decision-making, and improved patient flow.

In addition, NHS England has introduced a national definition of corridor care, begun publishing validated corridor care data, and established targeted improvement support for trusts experiencing the highest levels of corridor care. These measures will strengthen oversight, improve transparency, and support local action to reduce overcrowding and long waits in emergency departments.