The NHS is facing a "summer onslaught", with A&Es
experiencing their busiest month on record in June amid record
heatwaves and the World Cup.
Average daily A&E attendances exceeded 80,000 (81,264) for
the first time ever in June - setting a new daily attendance
record - despite May recording a slightly higher overall total
due to having one extra day, according to new NHS data.
The record-breaking demand comes as new figures show confidence
in GP services and pharmacy is bouncing back, with health bosses
urging public to take advantage of the full range of services
available locally.
More than three quarters of patients (76.7%) rated their overall
experience of their GP practice as good last year - up from 73.9%
last year.
Almost four in five (79.2%) respondents used online services in
the last 12 months, compared with 69.0% in 2024, while almost a
third (30.8%) contacted their practice online, up nearly double
on 2024 (16.9%).
These changes are helping give patients more choice in how they
access care and sit alongside improvements to patient experience.
Almost nine in 10 patients reported having a good experience of
pharmacy services, while more than four in five (81.5%) said they
were able to get an NHS dental appointment the last time they
tried - up from 76.3% in 2024.
NHS figures also show the three busiest months in NHS history
have been in 2026, as the health service manages demand never
seen before in its history.
There were 894,143 calls to 999 answered in June, an average of
29,805 calls per day 10% higher than last June.
There were almost two thousand more ambulance incidents every day
in June (27,171) - compared with June last year (25,322), an
increase of more than 7% (7.3%).
The number of people seen within four hours in A&E was 75%,
just over half a percentage point down on June last year.
Amid the busiest ever period in NHS history, the number of people
waiting within 18 weeks for planned care increased slightly to
65.6% of patients in May, compared with 65% in April.
The overall waiting list increased to 7.28 million in May, a rise
of 60,153 compared to April.
The NHS has also published data on corridor care for the second
time, with more trusts reporting their corridor care figures this
month compared with last month's first ever data. Nationally per
day, there were on average 2,432 instances of Corridor Care in
emergency departments and 749 patients receiving Corridor Care
elsewhere in hospital.
NHS national medical director Professor Frankie Swords
said:
These figures show that summer is now putting the NHS under just
as much pressure as winter, with staff facing an onslaught of
demand and we have to prepare for it in the same way.
Staff are currently experiencing the busiest months' of their
career, but they are delivering for patients despite this record
demand.
Three quarters of people coming to our emergency departments are
admitted or discharged within four hours, and people are being
seen more quickly for their planned operations or hospital
appointments too with more people being seen within 18 weeks than
for almost half a decade.
What we're seeing on the ground is really busy Mondays following
weekends of football and sunshine, so please don't delay coming
forward for care when you need it, even if it's in early hours on
a weekend.
In the continuing warm weather, please take precautions like
staying hydrated, and check in on loved ones or those who are
vulnerable, and as always, please dial 999 in an emergency, and
otherwise use 111.
Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care, NHS
England, said:
Thanks to the hard work of GPs and their teams, we have seen
another positive improvement in patients' experience of accessing
General Practice, continuing the upward trend we have seen over
the past two years.
We have listened to patients and practices have introduced
changes to make access easier and more convenient, from improving
phone systems to expanding online services and use of the NHS
App.
These changes are giving patients more choice in how they access
care and are making a real difference to their experience.
We are also seeing encouraging improvements across primary care,
with more people able to access NHS dental appointments and
positive experiences reported in community pharmacy.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
"Even in the face of record temperatures and the busiest summer
in NHS history, healthcare staff have continued to deliver for
patients and I want to thank every one of them for their
extraordinary dedication.
More people are now being treated within 18 weeks than at any
point since 2021, while three in four A&E patients were seen
within four hours.
"The latest GP Patient Survey also shows we're making real
progress to improve the front door of the NHS, with almost 77% of
patients reporting a good' experience more than the last two
years.
"This shows the hard work of NHS staff is helping more
patients get the care they need, and alongside our record
investment and reforms, we're determined to keep driving waiting
times down and improving care for everyone."
