The over-80s are disproportionately waiting longer to be admitted onto a hospital ward from A&E, new research finds.

The elderly are bearing the brunt of the ongoing crisis in A&E, enduring long waits more often than young people, new research shows.

Last year, 43% of those aged over 80 faced waits of more than 12 hours between arrival in the emergency department and admission to a ward, compared with 19% of those aged 21-30, according to analysis carried out by health think tank Nuffield Trust.

The analysis also found that some health conditions are much more likely to lead to longer delays than others, such as breathing, gastrointestinal and neurological issues.

During the study, carried out as part of the QualityWatch programme, with funding from the Health Foundation, researchers examined how such long waits and so-called corridor care became the norm, and who is most affected.

In March, NHS England formally defined corridor care as when patients spend more than 45 minutes being treated in inappropriate settings, either in A&E or on a ward. Although corridors are the most typical example, patients have reported being seen in car parks and side rooms.

And starting this summer, data is now routinely published showing how often this is happening.

In June, there were 72,955 cases of patients enduring corridor care, which is equivalent to 5% of A&E attendances.

However, researchers warned that over-emphasising corridor care and its elimination could have unintended consequences, such as staff delaying the handover of patients from ambulances to reduce the numbers in A&E.

And for too long, policies aimed at fixing long waits have been focused on what goes on in A&E, the report’s authors argued. Poor access to social care services and a low number of hospital beds are major factors. Further, more consistent investment in preventative social care could avoid some hospital admissions entirely, they said.

Social care overhaul

The evidence is clear that we need improvements in how patients “flow through hospitals after A&E,” said Nuffield Trust deputy director of research, Sarah Scobie, describing it as “absolutely shocking” that two-fifths of the most elderly patients wait more than 12 hours to be admitted.

Better access to health and social care services outside of hospital is needed to bring about a “sustained reduction” in long A&E waiting times, added Scobie.

The findings come as new prime minister Andy Burnham announced he would address the social care crisis, adding there would be “difficult decisions” on funding but he was determined to “get it right”.

His plans include more pay and better training for care workers and closer integration with the NHS.

He also announced that a review of social care by Louise Casey, Baroness Casey of Blackstock, would be published next summer, instead of 2028.