A&E targets missed by NHS England

Posted: January 13, 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence 

Figures released last week revealed that NHS England failed to meet their A&E waiting time target for the week leading up to the 5th of January.  The national waiting time target for A&E departments is that 95% of patients should be seen within four hours.  In the week running up to the 5th of January only 94.3% of patients were seen within this time; with minor injury units and walk-in centres only seeing 91.5% of patients.

The failure to meet waiting time targets was coupled with the fact that drop-in attendances decreased from the average figures usually experienced during this winter week – down by over 5%.  This knowledge has led to many questions being asked: wouldn’t less patients make it easier for A&E departments to treat, discharge or admit patients within four hours?

“Worrying slump”

Figures prior to this week revealed that the overall target was met by NHS England in the week leading up to Christmas and the Christmas week itself; but had been narrowly missed in the first two weeks of December.

Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, said the figures showed a “worrying slump” in A&E performance. He continued by saying: “Experts warned the government about the A&E crisis but they refused to listen. Just weeks after ministers said ‘the crisis is behind us’, patients have experienced the worst week in A&E so far this winter.”

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