Ambulance deliveries put London hospitals under pressure

Ambulance deliveries are straining London's casualty departments. Credit: ITN

The ten busiest A&Es in the capital receive a combined average of 929 admissions by ambulance per day.

Queen’s hospital in Romford is the busiest casualty department, with 39,994 patients brought by ambulance.

That figure is almost 15% higher than last year, and represents an average of 110 a day.

St Thomas’ in Lambeth, Northwick Park in Harrow and Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich all handled more than 35,000 cases a year.

It is feared Woolwich could receive thousands more cases if Lewisham hospital A&E is downgraded.

But the 747,034 (a 3.7% annual rise) people taken to hospital by ambulance in the year to May is only a fraction of the 4.5 million people who turn up at London's 29 casualty departments every year.

Ten busiest A&Es:

  • Queen's, Romford: 39,994 admissions by ambulance = avg 110 per day

  • St Thomas': 37,916 = avg 104 per day

  • Northwick Park: 35,811 = avg 98 per day

  • Queen Elizabeth: 35,144 = avg 96 per day

  • Croydon University Hospital: 33,518 = avg 92 per day

  • King's College: 33,025 = avg 90 per day

  • St George's: 32,884 = avg 90 per day

  • North Middlesex: 30,687 = avg 84 per day

  • Royal London: 30,512 = avg 84 per day

  • Whipps Cross: 29, 578 = avg 81 per day