‌Launched at the Royal London Hospital over two decades ago, the Physician Response Unit saves thousands the agony of lengthy waits and corridor care each year. Instead of going to A&E, patients call 999 and receive hospital-standard care from the comfort of their own bed. The move comes after 71,000 patients were forced to wait on trolleys for over two hours in January – the worst month since current records began. One told the Times: “In A&E, you would never have just one patient at a time. Patient David, 77, who spent 30 hours in A&E, told the charity: “Every joint was aching.

Source: The Times March 15, 2026 00:06 UTC