A huge 1,700 patients ended up waiting more than four hours for treatment in East London A&Es that were the worst performing across the capital in October, the latest NHS data has revealed.

Out of 26,510 patients who attended A&E departments managed by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust in October, a huge 11,179 of them spent four hours or more waiting to be admitted, transferred or discharged.

A whopping 735 patients rushed to A&E departments under the East London NHS trust in October waited 12 hours to be admitted. A further 1,705 waited at least four hours for treatment despite being admitted in an emergency.

 

Queen\s Hospital in Romford is managed by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust (BHRUT). Credit: Google Street View

Queen\'s Hospital in Romford is managed by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust (BHRUT). Credit: Google Street View

 

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust was the worst performing for A&E admission times across London last month. Only 58 per cent of patients who attended A&E were seen in four hours or less.

By comparison, most other London NHS trusts dealt with two thirds of A&E patients within four hours.

Dr Mamta Shetty Vaidya, chief medical officer at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are sorry patients are facing long waiting times in our emergency departments.

“We recognise this is a challenge across the healthcare system and we are working closely with our partners to tackle this. Cutting our ED queues remains a top priority for our trust.”

Earlier this year, MPs warned people across the UK faced serious health issues as a result of delays in treatment, with some dying earlier and many living with pain or discomfort for longer.

The report by MPs said: “The very large numbers of people who have not presented for healthcare, or were not able to obtain it, during the pandemic, as well as those who have already been on waiting lists for long periods of time present a huge risk to primary and emergency care services.

“This is because unmet health demand can result in more GP appointments and more medical emergencies as people try to manage or suffer the consequences of their conditions.”