Nursing staff are warning that patients face a “devastating” winter as new analysis reveals a rise in 12-hour waits for hospital admission – a 90-fold increase in just six years. We believe ministers have acted with “insufficient urgency” since last winter, failing to invest in hospital and community capacity or boost staffing levels.
Between July and September this year, 116,141 patients waited more than 12 hours in A&E after a decision to admit, compared to just 1,281 in 2019 – an increase of almost 9,000%. Over the same period, overnight bed capacity has grown by only 2%, adding just 2,192 beds. That means 52 patients who are sick enough to be admitted competing for each additional bed.
The situation is compounded by limited capacity in community and social care, leaving thousands stuck in hospital despite being ready for discharge. NHS discharge data from October 2025 showed an average of 13,117 patients stayed in hospital each day despite being ready for discharge – up 6% on last year
Pressures on services mean more patients are also leaving A&E without treatment, jumping from 100,000 in 2019 to more than 320,000 in 2025. This reflects growing frustration with under-staffed, under-resourced services struggling to meet demand.
“Nursing staff and patients alike endured a horrendous winter last year, with corridor care rife across every service. Worryingly, after no respite in the summer, the signs point to the coming colder months being devastating and more dangerous for patients,” said Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive.
She added: “Nursing staff have repeatedly warned about a corridor care national emergency, but the lack of urgency in tackling the crisis is unacceptable. Bed capacity has remained static, nurse numbers in hospitals haven’t increased to the level required and community services are not being invested in anywhere near fast enough. Yet again this winter, nursing staff have been set up to fail and patients set up to suffer.”
