Only 3% of A&E doctors surveyed across the UK said their departments were well prepared for winter, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) reported.
The college surveyed 163 doctors in charge of emergency departments. More than nine in 10 (92%) described current pressure as high or very high, while 88% said their departments were under greater strain than at the same point last year. Another 91% were very or extremely worried about the months ahead.
RCEM president Dr Ian Higginson warned that overcrowding, patients being treated in corridors and an expected rise in winter demand could worsen conditions. He said some patients were spending hours on trolleys or chairs because hospital beds were unavailable.
In England, 89% of the 119 A&E clinical leads who responded rated current pressure as high or very high. The findings point to widespread concern among the doctors responsible for emergency departments before the colder months arrive.
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