Loss of 25,000 NHS beds caused ‘serious patient safety crisis’, finds report

Ten-year decline has caused sharp rise in waiting times for A&E, ambulances and surgery

The NHS has lost almost 25,000 beds across the UK in the last decade, according to a damning report that says the fall has led to a sharp rise in waiting times for A&E, ambulances and operations.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine said the huge loss of beds since 2010-11 was causing real patient harm" and a serious patient safety crisis". At least 13,000 more beds are urgently needed, it added, in order to tackle unsafe" bed occupancy levels and grim" waiting times for emergency care and handover delays outside hospitals.