Redbridge’s hospital trust missed its government-set target for A&E waiting times every single week between November 2012 and November 2013 – a badge of shame it shares with no other London trust.

The government expects 95 per cent of patients in emergency units to be seen within four hours in any given week. In the year to November 3, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHR) didn’t achieve this once.

But opening extra beds, coupled with the fact some Havering GPs now work at weekends, saw the trust hit 95.7pc in the week ending November 10, according to a trust spokesman.

Just under 85 per cent of BHR’s A&E patients were seen within four hours during the 12 months to November 3. Only one trust out of London’s 22 recorded a lower number, with half a per cent fewer patients seen in the four-hour window.

With King George A&E in Goodmayes still set to close in 2015, health campaigners are concerned the figures will get worse, rather than better, as Queen’s Hospital, Romford, struggles to cope.

The data have come to light in a London Assembly report published today that warns the capital’s health care system is “under stress” and urges NHS England to publish its “recovery and improvement” plans for failing A&E departments.

In October, fewer than 82 per cent of emergency patients were seen within four hours at the trust.

Mike Gapes, MP for Ilford South, said the trust’s performance was “simply not good enough”.

He added: “I am very concerned the A&E waiting times are not only well below target for this year but actually show a substantial fall in performance against this time last year.

“This performance simply shows why it will be impossible to safely close King George A&E in 2015 as is currently planned.”

Chief executive Averil Dongworth said: “We have been very open about the challenges we face to meet the A&E target.

“We have recently been praised for the care we provide to patients while they are in our A&E departments, but some people are still facing unacceptably long waits.

“We are working closely with our health and social care partners to bring about improvements.”

It was announced in September BHR will be handed £7m by the government to improve A&E services over the next two years.