This is the worst three-month performance since the target was introduced in 2004
NHS Accident and Emergency departments in England have failed to meet a government a four-hour wait target for the past three months, according to new figures from NHS England.
Just 91.8 per cent of patients were seen within four hours between January and March, making this the worst three-month performance since the target was introduced in 2004.
The government’s target is that 95 per cent of patients should wait no longer than four hours in A&E.
The news comes on the back of recent figures showing that around 7 per cent of patients had to wait in A&E for more than four hours at the end of last year – the worst figures since records were first collected.
Meanwhile earlier this year it was revealed that more than one in 10 people were unable to get an appointment to see or speak to a GP or Practice Nurse the last time they tried, according to the GP Patient Survey.
According to the survey, 10.91 per cent of those questioned were unable to see a qualified medical professional, up from 8.85 per cent in 2011.
James Bloodworth is the editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twittter
3 Responses to “NHS in crisis: A&E waiting times in England hit record worst level”
Leon Wolfeson
And it’ll only get worse with austerity, sadly – increased demand due to cuts in a time of reduced services.
littleoddsandpieces
The waiting time in Accident and Emergency is a myth.
The management, only able to manage things not medicine as have not the knowledge, do this.
In A and E we do not arrive in nice orderly queues, but in gluts and famines of people presenting themselves for care (not talking about ambulance casualties).
You sign on at reception.
Then we all sit there for 3 or 4 hours and then everyone moves at once, who arrived together mostly.
That is how daft managers and the micro management of politicians, who do not use the NHS, actually is.
The GPs and doctors are in short supply because of lack of funding and training funding by the political class.
There is another way.
Vote the local issue party saving your local hospital and for MP the National Health Action party, who are running in 13 voting areas.
For the rest of us, there are alternatives as there is no such thing today as a small party, as small parties have the most influence in a UK parliament, due to be the most severe hung parliament in history.
WHO ARE THE PARTIES OF THE POOR, THE NHS, THE WELFARE STATE, THE STATE PENSION
Russell Brand tells you not to vote. But the non-voter and the poor voter (who oft are the same) now vastly outnumber the votes gained by Tories and Lib Dems to put them into the job and cause all this suffering, with worst to come.
See:
http://www.anastasia-england.me.uk
Realist
This is why the NHS needs to become more efficient. Competition must be introduced into the NHS to ensure that it can provide the same high level services at a lower cost