Analysis by this newspaper of Accident and Emergency waiting times data has shown huge increases for the East and North Herts NHS Trust both in the short-term and the long-term. 

The East and North Herts NHS Trust operates Lister Hospital in Stevenage and the New QEII hospital in Welwyn Garden City.   

NHS England has published data for October 2022, which shows that 151 patients waited longer than 12 hours from the decision to admit to admission at East and North Herts NHS Trust hospitals. In October 2021, zero patients waited longer than 12 hours. 

The latest figures follow our recent story showing that the number of patients at East and North Herts NHS Trust hospitals waiting longer than 12 hours rose 1,400 per cent between September 2021 to September 2022. 

This table shows the number of patients waiting longer than 12 hours from the decision to admit to admission for East and North Herts NHS Trust hospitals each month over the last year.

Patients waiting longer than 12 hours from the decision to admit to admission - East and North Herts NHS Trust, 2021-22

Data for England as a whole tells a similar story. 

Patients waiting longer than 12 hours from the decision to admit to admission - NHS England, 2021-22

Figures for the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours over the last seven years shows an even starker increase. 

This table shows the number of patients waiting longer than 12 hours from the decision to admit to admission within the East and North Herts NHS Trust, each October since 2015. 

Patients waiting longer than 12 hours from the decision to admit to admission - East and North Herts NHS Trust, 2015-22

Again, data for NHS England as a whole tells a similar story. This shows the number of people waiting longer than 12 hours in October each year since 2015. 

Patients waiting longer than 12 hours from the decision to admit to admission - NHS England, 2015-22

The newly released figures also show a significant decline in the number of A&E attendees being seen within four hours.

A&E departments across the country are falling far short of the waiting time target, which is for 95 per cent of attendees to be discharged, admitted or transferred with four hours. 

In October 2022, only 43.5 per cent of A&E attendees at East and North Herts NHS Trust hospitals were seen within four hours, compared with 51.4 per cent in October 2021. 

This table shows the decline over the last year in the number of attendees seen within four hours across NHS England as a whole, and within East and North Herts NHS Trust. 

A&E attendees seen within four hours, 2021-22

There has also been an even more significant decline across the past seven years. In 2015, almost 75 per cent of A&E attendees were seen within four hours at East and North Herts hospitals. 

This table shows the percentage of A&E attendees seen within four hours at hospitals across England, and within East and North Herts NHS Trust, during October each year from 2015 until 2022.

A&E attendees seen within four hours, 2015-22

A spokesperson for East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust said: “The emergency department at Lister continues to respond to and prioritise those patients who attend with a life or limb-threatening illness or injury.

“We would encourage those with minor illnesses or injuries – such as burns and scalds, suspected broken bones and sprains – to attend the New QEII Urgent Treatment Centre in Welwyn Garden City if you can. The waiting time will be shorter and this frees up the staff at Lister to deal with those who most require the services on this site. 

“Alternatively, we urge the public to speak to their local GP, pharmacist or contact NHS 111 by visiting 111.nhs.uk or calling 111 so they can direct you to the most appropriate care.”