The ‘staggering’ time over-65s have to wait for hospital beds while in A&E
Elderly patients facing alarming wait times in A&E
- Over 100,000 elderly patients, including more than 53,000 aged 80 or over, endured waits of up to three days in A&E corridors and waiting rooms last year before being admitted to a hospital ward.
- Age UK's analysis, based on Freedom of Information requests, revealed that some patients were reportedly forced to lie on the floor and wash in toilet sinks during these prolonged delays.
- The charity condemned the situation as "routine" in some NHS hospitals and expressed doubt that the government fully appreciates the seriousness or has a plan to address it.
- Age UK is calling for the government to implement a funded plan with specific deadlines to reduce A&E waits and end "corridor care," alongside regular data collection and the appointment of a responsible minister.
- Recent NHS England figures for December show 50,775 patients waited over 12 hours and 137,763 waited at least four hours from the decision to admit to actual admission.