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A&E pressures are biggest challenge facing NHS, says Hunt A&E pressures are biggest challenge facing NHS, says Hunt
(5 months later)
Pressure on accident and emergency wards is the "biggest operational challenge facing the NHS", the health secretary is expected to say.Pressure on accident and emergency wards is the "biggest operational challenge facing the NHS", the health secretary is expected to say.
Jeremy Hunt will say that the "long-standing" failure to care for people with long-term illnesses such as asthma and diabetes is partly to blame for the problems in A&E wards.Jeremy Hunt will say that the "long-standing" failure to care for people with long-term illnesses such as asthma and diabetes is partly to blame for the problems in A&E wards.
Speaking at Age UK's annual conference on Thursday, Hunt is expected to say that "decades-old practices and professional boundaries" are at the root of the problem.Speaking at Age UK's annual conference on Thursday, Hunt is expected to say that "decades-old practices and professional boundaries" are at the root of the problem.
"When I have been visiting A&Es in recent weeks, hard-working staff talk about the same issues: lack of beds to admit people, poor out-of-hours GP services, inaccessible primary care and a lack of co-ordination across the health system," he will say."When I have been visiting A&Es in recent weeks, hard-working staff talk about the same issues: lack of beds to admit people, poor out-of-hours GP services, inaccessible primary care and a lack of co-ordination across the health system," he will say.
"The decline in out-of-hours care follows the last government's disastrous changes to the GP contract, since when we have seen 4 million more people using A&E every year."The decline in out-of-hours care follows the last government's disastrous changes to the GP contract, since when we have seen 4 million more people using A&E every year.
"We must address these system failures, and I am determined we will."We must address these system failures, and I am determined we will.
"There are simply too many cases where people with long-term conditions do not get the medicines, the checks or the support they need."There are simply too many cases where people with long-term conditions do not get the medicines, the checks or the support they need.
"They, or their relatives, end up having to put their energy into fighting the system instead of fighting their illness.""They, or their relatives, end up having to put their energy into fighting the system instead of fighting their illness."
Labour said that there was a crisis in accident and emergency departments.Labour said that there was a crisis in accident and emergency departments.
The shadow health secretary, Andy Burnham, said the number of people waiting longer than four hours in emergency departments had risen from 340,000 in 2009/10 to 888,000 last year.The shadow health secretary, Andy Burnham, said the number of people waiting longer than four hours in emergency departments had risen from 340,000 in 2009/10 to 888,000 last year.
And in 2012/13, 167 people waited for more than 12 hours to be admitted to hospital, he said.And in 2012/13, 167 people waited for more than 12 hours to be admitted to hospital, he said.
NHS England medical director, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, is conducting a review into urgent and emergency care. A separate review is under way into GP out-of-hours care.NHS England medical director, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, is conducting a review into urgent and emergency care. A separate review is under way into GP out-of-hours care.
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