The NHS faced its busiest June on record, with average daily A&E attendances passing 80,000 for the first time as heatwaves and the World Cup pushed demand higher across England. New NHS data published on 9 July 2026 showed that emergency departments recorded an average of 81,264 attendances a day, while the health service also logged 894,143 calls to 999 in the month.
Emergency departments under sustained pressure
The figures suggest that summer is now placing pressure on the NHS in a way more often associated with winter, with national leaders warning that staff are dealing with demand at levels never seen before. The number of people seen within four hours in A&E was 75%, slightly below the same month last year, while corridor care continued to be reported across hospitals. Nationally, there were an average of 2,432 instances of corridor care in emergency departments each day and 749 patients receiving corridor care elsewhere in hospital.
NHS National Medical Director Professor Frankie Swords said the system is experiencing a “summer onslaught” and noted that staff are facing some of the busiest months of their careers. He said the service is still delivering for patients despite the pressure, and urged the public not to delay seeking help when needed, advising people to use 111 for non-emergencies and 999 in an emergency. NHS England report
Primary care shows signs of improvement
Alongside the record demand in urgent care, the latest GP Patient Survey pointed to a continued recovery in patient experience of general practice. More than three-quarters of patients, 76.7%, rated their overall experience of their GP practice as good, up from 75.4% last year. Almost four in five respondents, 79.2%, used online services in the past 12 months, and 30.8% contacted their practice online, nearly double the proportion reported in 2024.
The data also showed encouraging signs for other parts of primary care. Almost 9 in 10 patients reported a good experience of pharmacy services, and 81.5% said they were able to get an NHS dental appointment the last time they tried, up from 76.3% in 2024. Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care, said changes such as improved phone systems, expanded online services and greater use of the NHS App are helping make access easier and more convenient. NHS England report
Waiting lists edge higher as services juggle competing pressures
The NHS said the number of people waiting within 18 weeks for planned care increased slightly to 65.6% in May, from 65% in April, while the overall waiting list rose to 7.28 million. In June, ambulance services handled almost 2,000 more incidents each day than in the same month last year, and 999 calls were up 10% year on year.
Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray said the figures show the service is making progress on care access despite record temperatures and the busiest summer in NHS history. He said more people are now being treated within 18 weeks than at any point since 2021, and that the latest GP survey shows “real progress” in improving the front door of the NHS. NHS England report
With emergency demand rising sharply while primary care sentiment improves, the latest data highlights a health system trying to balance acute pressure with longer-term access reforms. NHS leaders say the challenge now is to maintain performance across the pathway as summer demand continues.
