Mon Apr 21 10:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Elderly Patients Bear Brunt of Record-Breaking Hospital Trolley Waits in England

**London, UK** – A shocking new report reveals the extent of the crisis in England’s hospitals, with nearly 70% of patients enduring “trolley waits” of 24 hours or more being aged 65 and over. Data obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats shows that approximately 49,000 A&E visits in 2024 resulted in such delays, with some patients waiting up to 10 days for a hospital bed.

The analysis, encompassing data from 54 of England’s 141 NHS trusts, found 33,413 of the 48,830 prolonged waits involved older patients. The Liberal Democrats highlight that East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust reported the highest number of these waits (8,916), a dramatic increase from just 30 in 2019. Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust followed with 4,315 cases. The party cautions that the true figure is likely far higher due to incomplete data from other trusts.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) described the findings as merely “scratching the surface” of a wider “crisis in corridor care,” citing reports of patients treated in hospital corridors due to bed shortages. The RCN attributed the problem partly to nursing recruitment difficulties and urged for greater transparency regarding the scale of the issue. The RCN’s general secretary, Prof Nicola Ranger, condemned the situation as “undignified and unsafe.”

The Liberal Democrats are proposing a solution involving creating teams of experienced NHS managers to assist struggling trusts. Lib Dem health spokesperson Helen Morgan criticized the government’s response, stating that the current situation is “beyond-shameful.”

The Department of Health and Social Care countered by highlighting initiatives such as the new RSV vaccine, increased Covid and flu vaccinations, and the end of recent nursing strikes. They emphasized ongoing efforts to reform the NHS, including increasing community care to reduce A&E pressures. While acknowledging longer-than-desired waits, East Kent Hospitals Trust attributed the problem to increased patient attendance.

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