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University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust: Accident and Emergency Departments

Asked by Shockat AdamIndependentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 2 September 2026UIN 19593

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce accident and emergency waiting times at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Answered by Department of Health and Social Care

The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is working with the Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Integrated Care Board and NHS England to improve accident and emergency performance by reducing avoidable demand, improving patient flow, and expanding care closer to home.

Across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, approximately £7.5 million is being invested this year to strengthen urgent and emergency care through a neighbourhood-based approach. This includes expanding Same Day Emergency Care, improving urgent community response services, increasing same-day access in primary care, strengthening frailty services, improving discharge arrangements, and enhancing clinical triage so patients receive care in the most appropriate setting. Together, these measures are intended to reduce pressure on emergency departments and improve waiting times.

These local improvements are supported by national action through the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, backed by over £450 million of investment in urgent and emergency care capacity. This includes publishing national clinical standards through the Model Emergency Department, Model Acute Pathway, and Model Discharge Pathway, to improve patient flow and support faster assessment, treatment, and admission or discharge.

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