Scarborough and York Hospitals: NHS Apology Over Dramatic Waits Increase

The NHS trust that runs York and Scarborough hospitals has apologised over a dramatic increase in the number of 12-hour trolley waits at its emergency departments.

​More than 750 patients had to wait on trolleys for more than 12 hours after attending emergency departments at hospitals run by the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, according to the latest monthly figures.

​In December, there were 759 trolley waits that lasted longer than 12 hours, an increase of 453 from November.

​Responding to the latest NHS monthly performance statistics in January, Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at the Health Foundation, an independent charitable organisation that says it works to build a healthier UK, said:

“The NHS reported 554,018 trolley waits of more than 12 hours in 2025, the highest number since current records began.

​“This is a grim milestone and a sign of just how bad things have become for our emergency services. Behind each statistic is a patient waiting an unacceptably long time for the care they need, with staff delivering care in impossible conditions.”

A spokesperson for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“Like hospitals across the country, we continue to face significant pressures in urgent and emergency care.

“Demand remains high, coupled with winter and wider system pressures – including delays in discharging patients who no longer need to be in hospital, alongside flu and other seasonal viruses – can affect patient flow.

“We recognise this can mean some people wait longer in the emergency department than we would want, and we are sorry for this.”

​The trust has also reported that there was a “significant increase in ambulance attendances, indicating an increase in patient complexity resulting in long stays in emergency departments”.

​According to a recently published report, while there was a 10 per cent increase in attendances compared to 2024, there was a drop off in total attendances in November and December.

​However, the average ambulance handover time improved and was ahead of set targets.

​In December, the average time for an ambulance handover was 22 minutes against a “trajectory” of 42 minutes.

The NHS Trust spokesperson said:

“We have seen improvements in ambulance handover times in recent months reflecting the hard work of teams across the hospital and our close partnership with Yorkshire Ambulance Service. Handover performance can fluctuate depending on demand, but the overall direction of travel is positive.”

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), they added:

“We remain focused on improving flow through the hospital, including timely discharge, and making best use of capacity to reduce delays for ambulances and ensure patients receive the right care as quickly as possible.

“We know there is more to do, particularly during busy periods, and we will continue working with partners to build on this progress.”

​The trust is facing a financial deficit of between £24 million to £31 million, health bosses have said, and it is undertaking a £55 million efficiency programme, of which £27.7 million has been achieved.

​Speaking at a board meeting in January, the York and Scarborough NHS Trust’s chief executive, Clare Smith, thanked all colleagues for their efforts “during what is proving to be another difficult winter for the NHS”.

​She said:

“I have spent some time in the emergency departments in Scarborough and York and on some of our wards, watching our teams under significant pressure providing care and endeavouring to meet the demand in often difficult circumstances.

​“I also know that our Urgent Treatment Centres have seen a rise in pressure, and I thank our colleagues in the community for their efforts to avoid patients being redirected to our emergency departments.”

“I heard many examples of colleagues going above and beyond: people picking up and dropping off members of their teams to make sure shifts were covered, colleagues making plans to stay over so clinics could run across two days without the worry of getting stuck, and teams doing everything possible to keep services safe and running for patients.”