Study: 1,300 monthly deaths linked to long A&E waits in England
5 reported
An analysis by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine suggests more than 1,300 patients a month in England are dying needlessly due to long A&E waits, a tenfold rise in a decade. The RCEM estimated there were 15,860 excess deaths in 2025 related to long waits, down slightly from 16,644 in 2024 but up from 1,657 in 2015. The estimate is based on a 2021 study of over 5 million NHS patients published in the Emergency Medicine Journal, which found one excess death for every 72 patients who spent eight to 12 hours in A&E before being admitted. The RCEM’s president, Dr Ian Higginson, said the number of deaths linked to long stays shows the system is failing patients. The Department of Health and Social Care stated that A&E waiting times are at their lowest level in half a decade but acknowledged more work is needed. The department said it is investing over £215m in 40 new and expanded same-day emergency care and urgent treatment centres to reduce pressure on A&E.
What’s reported
The RCEM analysis suggests more than 1,300 patients a month in England die needlessly due to long A&E waits.
There were more than 300 deaths linked to long waits every week in 2025, up from 30 a week in 2015.
The RCEM estimated 15,860 excess deaths in 2025 related to long waits, down from 16,644 in 2024 but up from 1,657 in 2015.
The estimate uses a 2021 study of over 5 million NHS patients that found one excess death per 72 patients waiting eight to 12 hours in A&E.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it is investing over £215m in 40 new and expanded same-day emergency care and urgent treatment centres.
Key figures
Dr Ian Higginson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Prof Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing
Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine
Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson
Sources: The Guardian
