The number of people leaving A&E without treatment in England has tripled in six years, according to new analysis by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). Between July and September 2025, over 320,000 patients walked out untreated, up from under 100,000 in the same period in 2019. Most left due to frustration over long waits.
The RCN also found a 90-fold increase in patients waiting over 12 hours, from 1,281 in 2019 to 116,141 in 2025. RCN General Secretary Professor Nicola Ranger called the situation “dangerous” and a sign of a “broken system,” blaming a lack of investment in primary and community care.
A separate report by LaingBuisson warned that pressure on the NHS could worsen as fewer patients can afford private healthcare. While NHS-funded care in private hospitals reached a record £2.2bn in 2024, self-pay growth slowed to just 0.1%, with patients opting for NHS treatment despite delays.
Dr John Puntis of Keep Our NHS Public argued that outsourcing to private providers is a false economy, as it drains staff from the NHS. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by announcing nearly £450m in winter funding to expand same-day care, upgrade ambulances, and open new mental health crisis centres.
