Approximately 50 Britons Die Daily While Waiting for Emergency Care

Recently, it was reported that around 50 people in the UK die each day due to delays in receiving emergency care in hospitals overwhelmed by a surge in patient numbers, according to BELTA, citing The Times.

"According to an analysis conducted by senior doctors, around 50 people die each day due to delays in emergency care," the report states.

Staff from the National Health Service (NHS) have warned people about "dangerous" and "degrading" conditions, as hospitals struggle to cope with the workload caused by cold weather and a seasonal spike in viruses.

Last week, more than a dozen hospitals in the UK declared critical situations due to being overwhelmed by the high number of patients. Patients in these medical facilities are advised to seek help elsewhere. Tim Cooksley, a representative of the Society for Acute Medicine, stated, "This was predictable and inevitable given that hospitals were already bursting at the seams" even before the surge in illnesses.

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting expressed his "shame" over the treatment some patients receive, many of whom have to wait up to two days in emergency departments or receive care in corridors due to a lack of available beds.

According to the newspaper, in December of last year, over 167,000 patients had to wait more than 12 hours for necessary medical care. It is estimated that excess deaths due to delays in care increased to approximately 16,000 cases in 2024.