I am a resident living in the United Kingdom, and I believe the NHS is currently under unsustainable pressure. Across the country, patients are being forced to wait hours for medical attention, causing unnecessary pain, anxiety, and risk to public health. In many cases, conditions that initially appeared minor become significantly worse simply because treatment could not be accessed in time. Delays in healthcare should never place patients at greater medical risk in a modern developed country.

Recent NHS and healthcare statistics highlight the scale of the problem. Although the NHS originally aimed for 95% of A&E patients to be admitted, treated, or discharged within four hours, current performance remains only around 70–78%. In January 2026 alone, more than 71,000 patients in England waited over 12 hours after the decision to admit them before receiving a hospital bed, while annual twelve-hour A&E waits exceeded 550,000 cases. Category 2 ambulance emergencies — including heart attacks and strokes — are meant to receive a response within 18 minutes, yet actual average response times remain around 26–35 minutes. NHS treatment waiting lists across England still stand at approximately 7.2 million cases, and only around 61–63% of patients begin treatment within the NHS 18-week target. Due to shortages in beds and hospital space, many hospitals are increasingly experiencing “corridor care,” where patients are treated in hallways while waiting for proper ward space.

I believe the UK must take long-term action to strengthen NHS infrastructure and capacity. Building more large-capacity NHS hospitals, while expanding emergency departments, inpatient wards, and medical resources, would help reduce dangerous waiting times, improve patient outcomes, and relieve the overwhelming pressure currently placed on NHS staff and existing hospitals.

Therefore, I urge the UK Government and the NHS to commit to long-term investment in new NHS hospitals, expanded emergency departments, increased inpatient bed capacity, and improved healthcare infrastructure across the country. These investments are not simply about buildings or beds — they are about protecting lives, supporting healthcare workers, and ensuring that patients can receive safe and timely care when they need it most.

By signing this petition, we can help push for a safer, more effective, and more sustainable future for healthcare in the United Kingdom.