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Nearly 49,000 Patients Faced 24-Hour A&E Trolley Waits in 2024, Data Shows

Elderly patients bear the brunt of the crisis as calls grow for urgent NHS reforms to address systemic pressures and transparency issues.

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Overview

  • Around 49,000 A&E patients in England waited 24 hours or more for a hospital bed in 2024, with 70% of cases involving those aged 65 and over.
  • The longest recorded trolley wait was over 10 days, highlighting the severity of delays in emergency care settings.
  • East Kent NHS Trust reported the highest number of 24-hour waits at 8,916, followed by Liverpool University Hospitals Trust with 4,315 cases.
  • Only 54 of 141 NHS trusts provided full data, suggesting the true scale of the problem is likely underreported.
  • The government cites vaccine rollouts, improved pay deals, and community care initiatives as part of its efforts to reduce waiting times, but professional bodies warn that deeper systemic reforms are essential.