Relieving pressure on struggling emergency departments

January 2016 was one of the most difficult months for emergency departments since the four-hour waiting time standard was introduced by the government in 2004. Patient demand was high and the percentages of people admitted or discharged within four hours fell to some of its lowest levels in all UK countries. This article gives an overview of the situation across the four nations and explores the reasons behind the statistics. It also outlines what hospitals and local authorities are doing to relieve pressures and cope with unprecedented demand.