When it comes to national figures, 43,792 people endured a 12-hour wait in A&E in October - up 34 per cent on the previous month.
Figures released by NHS England show that the number of people in London having to wait for more than 12 hours in A&E has risen by 47% in a single month, highlighting the sheer scale of pressures on the NHS.
The Evening Standard reports: “A total of 8,102 people had to wait more than 12 hours in A&E departments in London in October from a decision to admit to actually being admitted, figures from NHS Digital showed. The figure has more than doubled in six months as hospitals struggle to discharge patients and free up capacity for A&E patients.”
The damning figures show just how badly the NHS has suffered under Tory rule. Worryingly, the figures come before the winter pressures kick in, with the NHS reported to be setting up “war rooms” as it prepares for one of the toughest winters in its history.
When it comes to national statistics, 43,792 people endured a 12-hour wait in A&E in October – up 34 per cent on the previous month.
According to the NHS’ own operational standard, at least 95 per cent of patients attending A&E should be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours. That’s a target that has not been met nationally since 2015.
NHS England’s chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, was quoted in the Guardian as saying: “Winter comes hot on the heels of an extremely busy summer – and with the combined impact of flu, Covid and record NHS staff vacancies – in many ways, we are facing more than the threat of a ‘twindemic’ this year.”
It also comes at a time when the waiting list for NHS treatment has hit a new all-time high. The number of people in England waiting to start hospital treatment rose to 7.1 million at the end of September, up from 7 million in August and the highest figure since records began in August 2007. That’s the equivalent of one in eight people now waiting for routine hospital treatment.
Tim Gardner, Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation said: “‘These pressures are symptoms of the system-wide challenges facing health and social care services. Delays in discharging patients due to chronic workforce shortages and lack of bed capacity in health and social care cause long waits at the hospital front door.
“A full funded workforce plan to ensure health and social care services have the staff they need is key to breaking this vicious cycle and improving performance.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
(Picture credit: Sv1ambo: Creative Commons)
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