A&Es miss four hour wait standard

Posted 21/11/2014

Accident and emergency departments in England saw 92.9% of patients within four hours last week – the lowest percentage since April 2013, according to NHS data. The government sets a quarterly target for hospitals to see 95% of emergency cases within four hours.

The Department of Health says it recently announced extra support for A&E teams. Meanwhile officials say there is rising demand for emergency services, with more than a million extra visits to A&E last year when compared to 2010.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “The NHS is performing well despite unprecedented demand and hospitals continue to treat the vast majority of people quickly, with around 2,000 more people every day seen within the four-hour target in A&E last year compared to 2010.

Julie Crossley, a medical  injury lawyer at Ashtons Legal, comments: “Delays in patients being seen and potentially understaffed units can lead to errors or patients deteriorating. It is a concern which can lead to avoidable litigation.”