NHS 'not ready' for winter, A&E doctors warn in new survey

Summarised from 3 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 20 Oct, 00:14 · Archive

More than nine in ten emergency medicine leaders say the NHS is unprepared for winter, with A&Es already under severe strain.

Emergency medicine leaders have warned the NHS is not ready for winter as A&E departments struggle with existing pressures. A survey of 163 doctors in charge of A&E departments across the UK, conducted by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, found that 91 per cent were very or extremely concerned about pressures in the coming months. Only 3 per cent said they were well prepared for winter.

More than nine in ten doctors surveyed described current pressure as either high or very high, with 88 per cent reporting greater strain than a year ago. Around 60 per cent said their emergency departments are currently unsafe for patients. A&Es in England saw a record 7.3 million attendances this summer, with some clinical leaders saying the NHS has reached the point 'where we can't tell where one crisis ends and the next begins'.

Doctors cited overcrowding, corridor care and patients stuck on trolleys or chairs for hours as current problems. The RCEM warned the NHS is entering winter with almost 1,000 fewer beds in English hospitals compared to last year. Higher levels of flu last month compared with the previous four years add to concerns about winter demand.

Dr Ian Higginson, president of the RCEM, said the conditions were 'creating perfect conditions for a terrible winter' and stressed that colleagues 'are not managing now and we simply are not ready for winter'. The college called current government plans insufficient, saying they 'won't cut it'.

Scotland's A&E situation mirrors this picture. A separate RCEM Scotland survey found 96 per cent of senior medics said emergency departments are poorly prepared for winter, with three quarters reporting much higher pressure compared to 2025. Dr Fiona Hunter, RCEM Scotland vice president, warned that emergency departments have 'spent this entire year in a state of crisis' and linked ED overcrowding to increased risk of death among critically ill patients.

The government recently announced a £140 million investment in urgent care across England, including new urgent treatment centres and same-day emergency care services. However, the RCEM said current plans require immediate action to avert disaster.

How it is being reported

• A&E doctors warn patients could face 'perfect storm' this winter as people already dying unnecessarilyA&E doctors say people are already dying unnecessarily every week - but they fear things could be about to get a lot worse as Emergency Departments face a 'terrible winter'The Mirror · 20 Oct, 00:05
• Emergency doctors' chilling winter warning as 96% claim A&E departments are not preparedScotland's A&Es are facing a 'perfect storm' this winter as it emerged 96 per cent of senior medics polled said the departments are poorly prepared.Daily Mail · 20 Oct, 00:01
• NHS faces 'perfect storm' this winter as doctors warn two-thirds of A&E's are 'unsafe' and call for immediate action to 'avert disaster'Dangerous overcrowding, corridor care and unrelenting demand will create a 'perfect storm' - and current government plans 'won't cut it', the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said.Daily Mail · 20 Oct, 00:01
• The NHS is not ready for winter, top A&E doctors warn: ‘We can’t tell where one crisis ends and the next begins’Medics warn hospitals face a ‘horrific’ situation as the NHS battles a year-round crisis in emergency care pressuresThe Independent · 20 Oct, 00:01

In this story: Royal College of Emergency Medicine · NHS · England · Scotland · Dr Ian Higginson · Dr Fiona Hunter

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem