The latest figures from NHS England have named Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in the top 10 for most improved A&E waiting times.
The figures, which compare changes between March 2024 and 2025, show it as one of the most improved in meeting the ‘4-hour A&E wait’ clinical standard. This is defined as a patient being admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours of arrival, in this case at Stepping Hill Hospital’s emergency (A&E) department, run by the trust.
To recognise this achievement, the trust has been awarded an additional £1 million to support further capital spending. The trust is one of twelve NHS organisations across the North West to benefit from the integrated urgent and emergency care incentives scheme from NHS England.
One reason for the trust’s improved performance is the enhanced facilities at Stepping Hill Hospital’s recently opened new emergency and urgent care campus which includes its emergency department. Although the campus has only recently been fully completed, improved clinical facilities have been added in phases over several months, helping staff to provide more efficient care, with better facilities to treat patients in the most appropriate environment.
Waiting times have also been improved by separate projects at the trust to improve flow with long-waiting patients, and ensuring timely diagnostics. Improved turnaround times from local ambulance services have also been a factor. This work supports the trust’s journey and ambition to return to a minimum of 78% of patients waiting no longer than 4 hours to either be discharged, admitted or transferred by March 2026, with the figure currently standing at 74.8%.
Andrew Loughney, Medical Director for Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“We are very pleased to see this improvement, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all the teams that support urgent and emergency care in Stockport, as well as the support of our locality partners. It is also good to see that our new emergency and urgent care facilities are already having an impact.
“Behind the numbers are patients who are seeing an improved experience, whether that is experiencing a shorter wait, being reviewed in the most appropriate clinical setting, or getting home sooner to their families. Our aim is to build on these achievements and ensure these improvements continue.”