Worsening A&E Wait Times Hit Multiple UK Hospitals, Warrington Worst

NHS hospitals across the UK continue to face significant challenges with patient waiting times in emergency departments and for elective treatments. At University Hospital Wishaw, over one-third of A&E patients waited more than eight hours for treatment, with 12.1% waiting over 12 hours, despite NHS Lanarkshire hospitals showing some variance in performance. In Surrey, approximately 10% of the population remains on NHS waiting lists, with more than 4,000 patients waiting over a year for treatment, highlighting ongoing backlogs exacerbated by staff shortages and strikes. Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals reported 24% of A&E patients waited more than 12 hours, though the trust has performed well on diagnostic and cancer treatment waiting times. Conversely, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary has improved its A&E performance, now ranking among the best for meeting the four-hour target for admitted patients following successful patient flow initiatives. These disparities underscore the complex and uneven recovery of NHS services post-pandemic amid rising demand and operational pressures.