A&E waiting times are ‘putting

PATIENTS are being put “in harm’s way” due to unacceptably long waits in Welsh accident and emergency departments, it is claimed.

New figures for January 2018 found that 5,111 patients spent 12 hours or more in A&E from arrival until admission, transfer or discharge.

That was the highest number since such figures were first recorded in October 2009 – and a substantial increase on the 3,727 recorded in December 2017 and 4,066 in January 2017.

The Welsh Government wants no patient to spend that long in A&E but due to “unprecedented” demand since the turn of the year the figure has risen to record levels.

Dr Robin Roop, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) in Wales, said the “catastrophic” rise was “unacceptable and shocking”.

He said: “Twelve-hour waits have been shown to be detrimental to patient outcomes – the safety of our patients is a real concern to all of my emergency department colleagues in Wales.

“It is not acceptable that an increasing number of patients are being left in ambulances outside the A&E department or on a trolley in a corridor without satisfactory care.

“This is unsafe, undignified, and distressing for patients and their family members.

“Today’s figures demonstrate that we are putting our patients increasingly in harm’s way by not resourcing our hospitals and social care services appropriately.

“We need more hospital beds, social care in the community, and health and social care staff to cope with ith the needs of a growing ing and ageing population.” ulation.”

According rding to latest figures ures there were 81,050 1,050 A&E attendances nces in January y 2018, down on the 82,370 for Decemmber 2017 17 and 82,873 in November 2017. But January saw flu cases at their highest rates in six years and the ambulance ambul service has had to manage increa increased demand two months m in a row. Va Vanessa Young, pictu pictured, director of the th Welsh NHS Co Confederation, said problems in A&E were j just the “tip of the iceberg”. She said: “Despite understaffing and resourcing challenges, when the pressure comes on, the hard work and professionalism of our staff carries the system – a system which is struggling to cope with the demand for services.

“While it is easy to focus on the unprecedented number of people going to A&E in January 2018 that is just the tip of the iceberg.