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NHS four-hour wait time target in A&E met in 90% of cases – Jeremy Hunt NHS four-hour wait time target in A&E met in 90% of cases – Jeremy Hunt
(35 minutes later)
The NHS is facing a huge amount of pressure, the health secretary has admitted after a series of hospitals declared “major incidents” in recent weeks amid the mounting squeeze on accident and emergency departments.The NHS is facing a huge amount of pressure, the health secretary has admitted after a series of hospitals declared “major incidents” in recent weeks amid the mounting squeeze on accident and emergency departments.
Speaking ahead of the publication of new figures which are expected to show that A&E waiting times in England have fallen to their worst level for a decade, Jeremy Hunt insisted that the target for a four-hour wait is being met in 90% of cases. Speaking ahead of the publication of new figures which are expected to show that A&E waiting times in England are at their worst level for a decade, Jeremy Hunt insisted that the target for a four-hour wait is being met in 90% of cases.
The cautiously upbeat remarks by Hunt, who said that England had the best record for emergency treatment among countries which compile records, contrasted with those of his Liberal Democrat ministerial colleague Norman Lamb, who had said the NHS was not meeting its targets.The cautiously upbeat remarks by Hunt, who said that England had the best record for emergency treatment among countries which compile records, contrasted with those of his Liberal Democrat ministerial colleague Norman Lamb, who had said the NHS was not meeting its targets.
Many hospitals have struggled this winter, with some failing to meet their target of dealing with 95% of patients within four hours. The figures, which cover October to December and are to be released on Tuesday morning, are expected to be the worst since this target was introduced a decade ago.Many hospitals have struggled this winter, with some failing to meet their target of dealing with 95% of patients within four hours. The figures, which cover October to December and are to be released on Tuesday morning, are expected to be the worst since this target was introduced a decade ago.
The target of 95% of patients admitted, discharged or transferred in four hours has been met in just one week since August. The latest NHS England figures showed that the number of patients who were forced in the past month to wait up to 12 hours for a bed on a ward had more than doubled compared with the same period last year, to 29,151 patients.The target of 95% of patients admitted, discharged or transferred in four hours has been met in just one week since August. The latest NHS England figures showed that the number of patients who were forced in the past month to wait up to 12 hours for a bed on a ward had more than doubled compared with the same period last year, to 29,151 patients.
Hunt told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: “There is a huge amount of pressure. That is absolutely clear … It is sometimes quite distressing when you have a lot of patients and you can’t give them the care that you want to give them. We also have to recognise, despite the particular pressures and despite the major incidents – and you always get some major incidents at this time of year – that the NHS is continuing to see in A&E departments nine out of 10 people within the four-hour target. That is actually better than any other country in the world that measures these things.”Hunt told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: “There is a huge amount of pressure. That is absolutely clear … It is sometimes quite distressing when you have a lot of patients and you can’t give them the care that you want to give them. We also have to recognise, despite the particular pressures and despite the major incidents – and you always get some major incidents at this time of year – that the NHS is continuing to see in A&E departments nine out of 10 people within the four-hour target. That is actually better than any other country in the world that measures these things.”
In contrast, Lamb had told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that Britain’s ageing population meant hospitals were having to treat older patients with chronic conditions. He said: “We rightly have the toughest targets in the developed world. We are not meeting them. We are living longer, the pressures of people living with chronic conditions. We hear lots of reports from A&E departments of older people particularly turning up more ill than they have in the past.”In contrast, Lamb had told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that Britain’s ageing population meant hospitals were having to treat older patients with chronic conditions. He said: “We rightly have the toughest targets in the developed world. We are not meeting them. We are living longer, the pressures of people living with chronic conditions. We hear lots of reports from A&E departments of older people particularly turning up more ill than they have in the past.”
In an intervention which is likely to be seized on by Labour, the president of the College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Clifford Mann, said part of the problem is that hospitals have no financial incentive to invest in emergency care. Mann told the Today programme: “We need sustainable staffing for our emergency departments which will only happen when we stop penalising acute trusts for treating acutely ill and injured patients. The current tariffs mean that you can run a successful and indeed profitable hospital if you do specialist commissioning work and elective care. But all acute care loses money and in times of austerity it is difficult for trusts to invest properly in an emergency department which they see as a loss making part of the business.” In an intervention which is likely to be seized on by Labour, the president of the College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Clifford Mann, said part of the problem is that hospitals have no financial incentive to invest in emergency care. Mann told the Today programme: “We need sustainable staffing for our emergency departments, which will only happen when we stop penalising acute trusts for treating acutely ill and injured patients. The current tariffs mean that you can run a successful and indeed profitable hospital if you do specialist commissioning work and elective care. But all acute care loses money and in times of austerity it is difficult for trusts to invest properly in an emergency department which they see as a loss-making part of the business.”
Hunt said that Mann was “absolutely right”. The health secretary said: “The point he is making, which is absolutely right, is that the incentives aren’t right. Let’s look at the heart of this. The real issue is the way we look after the most vulnerable and frail older people. At the moment all the incentives are to treat them in hospitals. That is causing hospitals to fill up. We need a system where there is a doctor in the NHS – if you have an older mother or father or grandparent, you know that if they have complex long-term conditions – there is someone in the NHS where the buck stops, who is looking out for them.” Hunt said that Mann was “absolutely right”. The health secretary said: “The point he is making, which is absolutely right, is that the incentives aren’t right. Let’s look at the heart of this. The real issue is the way we look after the most vulnerable and frail older people. At the moment, all the incentives are to treat them in hospitals. That is causing hospitals to fill up. We need a system where there is a doctor in the NHS – if you have an older mother or father or grandparent, you know that if they have complex long-term conditions – there is someone in the NHS where the buck stops, who is looking out for them.”
A number of hospitals have declared “major incidents” in recent days because of A&E pressures. A number of hospitals have declared major incidents in recent days because of A&E pressures.
Scarborough hospital became the third hospital in two days to declare a major incident because of unexpectedly high demand for its services,. Scarborough hospital became the third in two days to declare a major incident because of unexpectedly high demand for its services.
A spokesman for the North Yorkshire hospital said that it had been forced to postpone some planned surgery and other procedures after patients had been left waiting for a bed in the emergency department.A spokesman for the North Yorkshire hospital said that it had been forced to postpone some planned surgery and other procedures after patients had been left waiting for a bed in the emergency department.
The problems came a day after two hospitals in Gloucestershire – Gloucester Royal and Cheltenham General Hospital – also declared major incidents due to high demand in their A&E departments – the second time in a month that Gloucestershire NHS trust had declared the status. The problems came a day after two hospitals in Gloucestershire – Gloucester Royal and Cheltenham General hospital – also declared major incidents due to high demand in their A&E departments, the second time in a month that Gloucestershire NHS trust had declared the status.
Mike Proctor, the deputy chief executive at York teaching hospital NHS foundation trust, which includes Scarborough, said: “While the winter months are traditionally a busy time for all hospitals across the country, we have been experiencing an unprecedented surge in demand for our services and we have today reached a point in Scarborough where we have needed to enact our major incident plan.Mike Proctor, the deputy chief executive at York teaching hospital NHS foundation trust, which includes Scarborough, said: “While the winter months are traditionally a busy time for all hospitals across the country, we have been experiencing an unprecedented surge in demand for our services and we have today reached a point in Scarborough where we have needed to enact our major incident plan.
“Doing this enables us to increase our focus on our most ill patients and step up our management of our resources to ensure that we are seeing, treating and admitting those who most need our care.”“Doing this enables us to increase our focus on our most ill patients and step up our management of our resources to ensure that we are seeing, treating and admitting those who most need our care.”
He said that the situation had been particularly acute. A major incident is defined as one that presents serious threat to the health of the community, and disruption to the service. The medical director of NHS England, Sir Bruce Keogh, said last month that A&E units were “creaking” under the pressure.He said that the situation had been particularly acute. A major incident is defined as one that presents serious threat to the health of the community, and disruption to the service. The medical director of NHS England, Sir Bruce Keogh, said last month that A&E units were “creaking” under the pressure.
The NHS said that problems at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals had been exacerbated by 30% of incoming patients having “non-urgent ailments”. In November, Hunt announced an extra £300m in boostfunding to pay for more staff and extra bed space to cope, amid fears of a winter crisis due to an ageing population and a surge in demand during the cold weather. It took the total winter pot to £700m, 75% up on the previous year. The NHS said that problems at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals had been exacerbated by 30% of incoming patients having “non-urgent ailments”. In November, Hunt announced an extra £300m in boost-funding to pay for more staff and extra bed space to cope, amid fears of a winter crisis due to an ageing population and a surge in demand during the cold weather. It took the total winter pot to £700m, 75% up on the previous year.