More than 1m older people in England waited over 12 hours in A&E last year

Over one million older people in England face waits longer than 12 hours in emergency departments (A&E), often enduring degrading corridor care. The number of those aged 60 and over experiencing such waits rose to 1.15 million in 2024, up from 991,068 the previous year. The risk of a 12-hour wait in emergency departments increased significantly with age, with patients aged 90 and over having a 33% chance of experiencing it. Dr. Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), criticized the healthcare system for failing vulnerable patients, while the government has pledged £26bn over two years to reduce A&E waiting times, though progress remains slow.