Shocking new data has laid bare the stark postcode lottery of hospital care across England, naming and shaming the worst-performing NHS trusts in the country.
The damning NHS England figures, analysed and published by The Mirror, reveal a healthcare system in deep crisis, with patients at the worst-affected trusts facing agonisingly long waits for emergency care.
The Worst Offenders: A Postcode Lottery of Pain
Topping the list of shame is University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, where a staggering 52.3% of patients waited more than four hours to be seen, admitted, or discharged in A&E. This performance is a world away from the NHS's own target of 95% and the national average of 73.3%.
They are closely followed by the NHS trusts in:
- Blackpool: 51.9% of patients faced long waits
- Hull: 49.7% of patients faced long waits
- Lancashire & South Cumbria: 47.3% of patients faced long waits
- Worcestershire: 46.3% of patients faced long waits
A National Emergency
The data paints a picture of a national emergency, not an isolated issue. The analysis, covering the week to June 16th, shows that not a single major A&E department in England managed to hit the crucial 95% target. In fact, the national average has plummeted to a dire 73.3%.
This means tens of thousands of patients every week are left waiting on trolleys in corridors, suffering in pain, and facing unacceptable delays for critical treatment.
Beyond A&E: A System-Wide Breakdown
The crisis extends far beyond the doors of the emergency department. The figures also expose critical failures in ambulance response times and cancer care:
- Ambulance Delays: Over 11,000 patients endured waits of more than an hour to be handed over from paramedics to A&E teams.
- Cancer Care Crisis: Nearly 11,000 patients have been waiting over two months for a cancer diagnosis or to start their treatment, causing immeasurable anxiety and potentially worsening outcomes.
This comprehensive breakdown reveals a health service buckling under immense pressure, with staff performing heroics in an increasingly impossible situation.
