A&E units across the UK are struggling to hit their waiting time target as winter hits, latest figures show.
Demands on the NHS tend to increase during the colder months because of illnesses like flu and norovirus.
But with winter just getting under way, pressures are already reaching record levels.
Extra money is being invested in each nation, but the four-hour A&E waiting time target is still being missed everywhere.
As health is devolved, data is published differently in the four UK nations.
Hospitals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are meant to see 95% of patients in four hours.
In England weekly figures are released. The latest, for the first week of December, show 91.8% of patients were seen in four hours - the worst performance since April 2013.
In Wales the data is published monthly with the figures from October showing just 84.7% of patients were seen in time - with one in 20 waiting more than eight hours.
Northern Ireland is performing even worse - just under 80% of patients were seen within four hours in October.
Scotland has a slightly tougher waiting time target - 98% of patients should be seen in four hours. In September under 94% were.
The warning comes as the BBC launches itsNHS Winter project, which tracks how the health service is performing down to individual hospital trust level.
British Medical Association leader Dr Mark Porter said: "Pressure on NHS services is at a critical point and cracks are beginning to appear.
"While the NHS is used to seeing a spike in demand during winter months, this year emergency departments have experienced a spring, summer and autumn crisis as well, leaving no spare capacity in hospitals as we approach winter.
"At the same time, GP surgeries are struggling to cope with unprecedented levels of demand."
A&E units across the UK are struggling to hit their waiting time target as winter hits, latest figures show.
Demands on the NHS tend to increase during the colder months because of illnesses like flu and norovirus.
But with winter just getting under way, pressures are already reaching record levels.
Extra money is being invested in each nation, but the four-hour A&E waiting time target is still being missed everywhere.
As health is devolved, data is published differently in the four UK nations.
Hospitals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are meant to see 95% of patients in four hours.
In England weekly figures are released. The latest, for the first week of December, show 91.8% of patients were seen in four hours - the worst performance since April 2013.
In Wales the data is published monthly with the figures from October showing just 84.7% of patients were seen in time - with one in 20 waiting more than eight hours.
Northern Ireland is performing even worse - just under 80% of patients were seen within four hours in October.
Scotland has a slightly tougher waiting time target - 98% of patients should be seen in four hours. In September under 94% were.
The warning comes as the BBC launches itsNHS Winter project, which tracks how the health service is performing down to individual hospital trust level.
British Medical Association leader Dr Mark Porter said: "Pressure on NHS services is at a critical point and cracks are beginning to appear.
"While the NHS is used to seeing a spike in demand during winter months, this year emergency departments have experienced a spring, summer and autumn crisis as well, leaving no spare capacity in hospitals as we approach winter.
"At the same time, GP surgeries are struggling to cope with unprecedented levels of demand."
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