The Royal London Hospital has demonstrated improved and stabilised performance in A&E wait times over the past year, according to Neil Ashman, CEO of Royal London & Mile End Hospitals. Speaking at a Health & Adults Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting on Tuesday, 29 July 2025, Ashman reported on the progress made through a programme reviewing internal and external pathways.
Key changes implemented in 2024/25 included an increase of Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) appointment slots by approximately 500 per month and improvements to Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) staffing, increasing its capacity. The UTC is run by the GP Care Group.
The national target for 4-hour A&E performance is 78%. Specific workstreams have been established as part of the Urgent & Emergency Care plan for 2025/26 to further improve performance over the next year.
These include:
- Reducing the number of ambulances attending the Royal London Hospital by increasing calls to the Remote Emergency Access Coordination Hub, where consultants can advise the London Ambulance Service (LAS) and patients on community care options. This will form part of the Single Point of Access for North-East London. While there are no specific targets for reducing ambulance arrivals, the hospital aims to provide more community care options through the hub.
- Increasing the number of patients admitted to Virtual Wards and Paediatric Hospital @ Home, enabling consultant-reviewed care in the community.
- Increasing the use of technology to support patient flow within the hospital, with IT resources implemented across the site to accurately manage patient flow in and out of the hospital.
The Health Partner Priorities 2025-26 presentation also highlighted ongoing pressures and challenges, including retaining the workforce, increased demand for urgent and emergency care, and meeting the needs of North East London residents for high-quality, specialised services in a timely manner.
