A hospital trust has admitted that performance at Queen’s Hospital A&E is “weaker” than at the condemned emergency department at King George as new figures rank the A&Es the slowest in London.

During the week ending June 16, only 86 per cent of patients admitted to A&E at the two hospitals were seen within the target of four hours.

The figure is way below the government target of 95 per cent and made the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) the worst in London for the week.

In total, 4,865 people attended A&E at King George Hospital, in Barley Lane, Goodmayes, and Queen’s Hospital, in Rom Valley Way, Romford, during the week.

Trust chief executive Averil Dongworth said demand had risen faster at the hospitals than elsewhere in London.

The London Ambulance Service brought almost nine per cent more patients to Queen’s A&E in 2012/13 compared to the previous year, while the average rise across London was just one per cent.

The increase at King George Hospital was four per cent.

But despite the continued pressure, King George’s A&E is still earmarked for closure as soon as Queen’s is equipped to take the extra numbers.

The Goodmayes hospital continually outperforms its Romford counterpart, which has been repeatedly criticised by the Care Quality Commission.

Ms Dongworth said: “Performance is weaker at Queen’s Hospital than King George Hospital. As a trauma centre it deals with more seriously ill patients and receives far more blue light ambulances.”

She added that the trust is working to recruit more staff to A&E departments.

Cllr Andy Walker, of the Save King George Hospital campaign, was concerned that more pressure would be put on King George when the Spearpoint GP Surgery relocates there from its current site in Aldborough Road North, Newbury Park.

He said: “People are supposed to have better primary care so they don’t go to King George but now it’s putting on an extra burden.

“It’s absolutely clear they have to withdraw the closure plans.”