The state of emergency medicine in England

This report examines the scale of overcrowding in emergency departments and the impact this is having on patient safety and staff. Drawing on national data, research and frontline evidence from clinicians, it highlights how long waits, high bed occupancy and a lack of patient flow continue to lead to overcrowded emergency departments. Long waits are closely linked to an increased chance of death within the following 30 days. The analysis estimates that there were 15,860 excess deaths associated with long waiting times in English emergency departments in 2025. While the number of deaths is slightly lower than 2024 (16,644), further analysis reveals that the estimated mortality figure increased almost tenfold when compared to 2015 (1,657).