A&E Waiting Times 2026-01-13
2026-01-13
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about A&E waiting times at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, highlighting a statistic of patients waiting for up to 13 hours. He seeks information on government measures to reduce waiting times.
Will the Secretary of State join me in thanking the extraordinary efforts of the staff at Princess Alexandra hospital in Harlow for their work over the winter period? A few years ago, we saw the shocking statistic that people were waiting in A&E at Princess Alexandra Hospital for 13 hours. Can the Secretary of State outline the changes this Government are making to bring down waiting times, improve GP satisfaction levels and decrease ambulance waiting times, and explain how this Labour government is ensuring that the NHS is fit for the future?
I absolutely join my hon. Friend in thanking NHS staff in Harlow and across the country for their incredible efforts during the toughest winter weeks. I particularly thank all those staff who have supported their colleagues and worked throughout Christmas and new year, sacrificing time with their families to care for ours. Of course, Mr Speaker, I particularly thank the staff at Chorley and South Ribble hospital who facilitated our visit. Your representations from the Chair for longer A&E access have not been lost on me, or indeed the record.
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Assessment & feedback
The Secretary of State thanked NHS staff but did not provide specific details on measures to reduce waiting times and improve GP satisfaction levels as requested by the MP.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about critical incidents declared by Surrey Heartlands ICB and two hospital trusts, impacting patient care. She seeks clarity on the government's response.
Last night, Surrey Heartlands ICB and two hospital trusts in Surrey declared a critical incident, which means that some hospitals cannot guarantee safe treatment for patients or operations could be cancelled to make urgent care a priority. Will the Secretary of State confirm what action the Government are taking to support those trusts and what funding will be made available to ensure such incidents do not recur?
A number of critical incidents have been running across the country this week. To be clear, a critical incident does not mean that there is unsafe care or that we are unable to provide care. A critical incident means that there is a challenge, and the system mobilises in response to help meet that challenge so that people do receive safe care. As I have said, we are investing more in our urgent and emergency care services and we are seeing the impact of that through year-on-year improvements to date. We are not out of winter yet; we still have lots of hard yards ahead. I am confident that when we emerge from winter, we will be able to tell a story of year-on-year improvement.
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Assessment & feedback
The Secretary of State clarified the meaning of critical incidents but did not provide specific details on actions and funding for support.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is a member of the all-party parliamentary group on emergency care and chair of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. She seeks the Secretary of State's commitment to meeting with her group.
Working my shifts in A&E over Christmas and the new year, like many colleagues up and down the country I experienced what has become the undignified norm of corridor care. I welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to ending it. The all-party parliamentary group on emergency care, which I chair, working closely with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, is keen that the Government adopt our recommendations on ending corridor care. The Secretary of State previously agreed to meet us. Will he today reaffirm his commitment to meet us to end this scourge in our A&Es?
My hon. Friend can be absolutely assured of that. I thank her for her powerful advocacy in this place, as well as for putting her words into action on the NHS frontline. She does not need to do that—she could do the bare minimum to keep her licence going—but she always goes above and beyond to take care of patients and constituents, literally rolling up her sleeves and putting on her scrubs to do that.
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Assessment & feedback
The Secretary of State reaffirmed his commitment but did not provide a specific date or plan for the meeting.
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP highlights individual patient experiences of long waits in A&E, seeking a commitment from the Secretary of State to ensure no patient has to wait more than 12 hours.
I always am, Mr Speaker; thank you very much. Recently, I have heard from Candice, who was interrupted while changing her stoma bag behind a curtain on the emergency ward; Lynne, who waited 17 hours for an ambulance after breaking several ribs; and Sandra, who has bladder cancer and spent 31 hours on a plastic chair in the “fit to sit” area. They all want to share their stories so others do not have to suffer like they did, in pain for hours and hours. Will the Secretary of State commit to ending the waits and back the Liberal Democrat call, welcomed by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine this morning, for a guarantee that no patient will have to wait for more than 12 hours in A&E?
We are striving towards meeting those standards, which were met so successfully under the last Labour Government. This Labour Government are having to pull out every stop to repair the enormous damage done by our predecessors. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson is right: safety, of course, is paramount, but so is dignity. When she describes those patients’ stories in those terms, it underscores the fact that behind the two words “corridor care” are countless stories of indignity and treatment in conditions that neither we, nor they as patients, nor staff want to see those people treated in. We are determined to put an end to it.
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Assessment & feedback
The Secretary of State acknowledged the importance but did not provide a specific commitment or plan for reducing waiting times.
Response accuracy