Accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times can be long for London residents. Long A&E waiting times can delay critical care, reduce patient satisfaction, and increase the risk of complications.
⬇️ Scroll down to compare hospitals by A&E waiting times. Verify the expected A&E waiting time at the hospital.
💡 Consider advice for protecting yourself from germs and preparing for long waiting times.
A&E waiting time is defined as the time from (a) the time when the decision is made to admit, or when treatment in A&E is completed, whichever is later; to (b) the time when the patient is admitted.
A&E waiting times are estimated based upon available data from the National Health Service.
Recent News
In February 2025, The Standard reported that more than 10,000 patients in London’s A&E departments waited over 12 hours for care. The article, published in February 2025, detailed figures from several trusts—including Barts Health NHS Trust and Kings College Hospital NHS Trust—and noted that the Health Secretary planned to “name and shame” underperforming hospitals. In the same month, Yahoo News published a piece listing London hospitals that managed to maintain lower waiting times, highlighting the stark variability across the capital’s trusts.
Just a month earlier, in January 2025, The Times published a detailed account on January 24, 2025, describing the overcrowded corridors at Queen’s Hospital in Romford. The report explained how patients were forced to wait in makeshift beds in corridors, with staff struggling to deliver proper care amid soaring patient numbers. Meanwhile, on January 16, 2025, The Guardian featured firsthand accounts in its article “Absolute Pandemonium: Stories of ‘Corridor Care’ from the NHS in England.” Patients and healthcare workers alike shared distressing stories of individuals enduring waits of 15 to 24 hours in corridors, with many expressing deep frustration over the loss of dignity and inadequate staffing.
The situation was equally dire in December 2024. On December 26, 2024, The Guardian warned that the NHS was at risk of paralysis while it awaited long-promised reforms from Health Secretary Wes Streeting. The report noted that some London trusts were experiencing a 25-fold increase in the number of patients waiting over four hours compared to a decade ago. A few days earlier, on December 22, 2024, The Times reported from St Helier Hospital in south London, where surges in flu, norovirus, and RSV had pushed the A&E into crisis mode. Staff at the hospital, facing a potential “quad-demic,” were compelled to manage patient overflow by resorting to corridor care.
Also in December 2024, The Times published an article on December 13, 2024, revealing that across the UK, including several London trusts such as North Middlesex University Hospital, one in four patients had to wait more than 12 hours from the decision to admit to actual admission. While our searches did not uncover distinct London-specific coverage from 2023, the persistent trend documented in late 2024 and early 2025 makes it clear that emergency care pressures have been mounting over the past years.
Protect Yourself & Loved Ones
Crowded waiting rooms can increase your risk of exposure to diseases. Hospitals are often filled with patients with contagious conditions. Protect yourself as you wait for emergency care.
- 😷 Wear a mask. Protect yourself from respiratory illnesses. Masks are particularly effective during flu seasons.
- 🧴 Practice hand hygiene. Contact with shared surfaces, such as chairs, doorknobs, and check-in kiosks, can expose you to pathogens. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water. Use a hand sanitizer.
- 📱 Protect belongings. Germs can transfer to your belongings. Keep personal items, such as phones and bags, away from shared surfaces. Sanitize personal items with disinfecting wipes at home.
- 💪🏼 Boost your immune system. Build an extra layer of protection with supplements. Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and zinc can boost immune function to fight infections.
Prepare for Long Waiting Times
Long waiting times are often unavoidable, especially during peak times or for non-urgent conditions. Prepare for an extended stay to be more comfortable and to reduce stress.
- 🧣 Bring comfort aids. Prolonged sitting can be uncomfortable, especially for older adults. Bring a neck pillow, lumbar cushion, and percussion massager.
- 🎮 Bring entertainment. Entertainment can reduce stress and boredom. Bring a mobile electronic device, such as tablets, laptops and phones.
- 🎧 Wear noise-cancelling headphones. Hospitals can be noisy environments, which can increase stress. Wear noise-cancelling headphones to block out the commotion.
- 🍪 Pack healthy snacks. Hospitals may have limited food options. Bring snacks to sustain energy levels. Check with the doctor or nurse practitioner if fasting is required. Consider trail mix, whole-grain crackers or granola bars.
- 🧦 Dress comfortably. Hospitals can have variable temperatures. Dress in layers. Wear comfortable clothing.
London Hospitals with Shortest Waiting Times
Below are five hospitals in London with have the shorter A&E waiting times:
- 🥇 Moorsfield Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has the shortest A&E waiting time at 99% chance of waiting less than four hours in London
- 🥈 Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, with 97% chance of waiting less than four hours, ranks second for the shortest A&E waiting time in London
- 🥉 Tower Hamlets GP Care Group, with 75% chance of waiting less than four hours, ranks third for the shortest A&E waiting time in London
- Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, with 71% chance of waiting less than four hours, ranks fourth for the shortest A&E waiting time in London
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with 65% chance of waiting less than four hours, ranks fifth for the shortest A&E waiting time in London
London Hospitals with Longest Waiting Times
Below are five hospitals in London with the longer A&E waiting times:
- 🐌 St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has the longest average A&E waiting time at 53% chance of waiting 4 to 12 hours in London
- 🐢 King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, with 43% chance of waiting 4 to 12 hours, ranks second for the longest A&E waiting time in London
- 🦥 Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, with 46% chance of waiting 4 to 12 hours, ranks third for the longest A&E waiting time in London
- Barts Health NHS Trust, with 37% chance of waiting 4 to 12 hours, ranks fourth for the longest A&E waiting time in London
- Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Foundation Trust, with 37% chance of waiting 4 to 12 hours, ranks fifth for the longest A&E waiting time in London
Plan Ahead for Peak Times
Planning your visit to the emergency department can significantly impact waiting times, particularly if the medical issue is not urgent.
Mondays tend to be the busiest day of the week in hospital emergency departments. The accumulation of non-emergency cases over the weekend often result in a surge of patient volume on the first work day of the week. If your condition allows for flexibility in seeking care, consider the day of the week for your visit. Avoid Mondays and weekends.
Demand seasonality may also affect waiting times in emergency departments, particularly among younger patients. Young children, aged 0 to 5, see a rise in emergency visits during autumn, with a notable decline in the summer months. Children, aged 5 to 19, experience a peak in spring and a similar decrease in the summer.
The time of day is unlikely to significantly reduce waiting times, as hospitals align staff availability with patient volumes. During standard business hours, from morning to early evening, full staffing is in place. However, higher patient volumes during these times can create bottlenecks. Even with more medical personnel, increased demand can still lead to longer waits as emergency departments handle the influx of patients.
Consider Other Care Options
If medical conditions are not urgent, you can consider alternative care options:
- Family doctors can serve as the primary point of contact for managing ongoing or non-urgent medical concerns. They provide comprehensive and personalized care, often maintaining detailed records of a patient’s medical history, which facilitates continuity of care and long-term management of health conditions.
- Walk-in clinics can offer convenient medical services for minor injuries or illnesses without the requirement of an appointment.
- Urgent care centers can provide medical attention for non-life-threatening conditions, such as minor fractures or severe flu symptoms. These centers typically offer faster service compared to emergency departments.