London hospitals face A&E staff shortages Hospitals across England are facing staff shortages in A&E departments, with the most acute shortages in London. A health trust in east London said nearly half its posts for doctors and nurses were unfilled because "it's so difficult to attract permanent staff." Dorothy Hosein from Barking, Dagenham & Redbridge NHS Trust said it struggled with full-time posts. Mike Farrar from the NHS Confederation said trusts had to plan now for the increase in demand on services in the winter.