NHS staff saw a record number of patients within four hours in A&E this summer, even as the service experienced its busiest summer on record. Between June and August, 5,462,182 A&E patients were treated, admitted, or discharged within four hours.
This comes despite A&E attendances reaching over 7.2 million (7,268,445) during the same period, marking the highest total for a summer. This figure is more than 240,000 higher than the previous year and occurred during five heatwaves between May and August.
Ambulance call-outs also reached a record high of 2,455,833 from June to August, an increase of over 130,000 compared to last year. Additionally, more than 100,000 extra 111 calls were answered in June and July this year.
Figures released today also show a record 308,200 people were seen in July following an urgent suspected cancer referral, with all three key cancer waiting time measures improving compared to the previous month. The waiting list increased by just under 56,000 to 7.3 million in July, with 65.4% waiting up to 18 weeks.
The government has announced a £1.5 billion investment to help NHS hospitals manage year-round pressure. This funding includes over £200 million for 10 major projects and £1.3 billion for maintenance, safety, and resilience across the NHS estate.