Emergency health staff have busiest September

STAFF working in A&E departments and the Welsh Ambulance Service have just experienced their busiest September on record, latest figures have revealed.

The Welsh Government has now admitted that pressures on the NHS emergency services are now a year-round problem and are no longer confined to the busy winter months.

Some 91,869 patients came through the doors of Wales’ A&E units in September, substantially more than the 85,589 seen in September 2018, 86,328 in 2017 and 86,315 in 2016.

And last month the Welsh Ambulance Service received an astonishing 38,641 999 calls, 1,368 more than call handlers experienced 12 months earlier.

The service also took a far higher number of immediately lifethreatening “red” calls – 2,325 in September 2019 compared with 1,931 in September 2018.

Pressures on the acute end of the system are often symptomatic of wider problems within the Welsh NHS, such as delays in discharging patients from hospitals and back into their communities.

The most visible indicator of this is when the public can see scores of ambulances queuing outside full A&E units, unable to offload patients.

Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said: “Once again we’ve seen an exceptional level of demand on NHS services in Wales, and it is clear the demand we traditionally experienced over the winter months is now all year round.

“NHS staff across Wales have consistently risen to the challenge, providing high-quality care to patients despite being under increased pressures.

“There is significant work being done to transform the way we deliver our services. NHS organisations are committed to focusing on health and social care services which emphasise early interventions, prevention and wellbeing.”

He added that the public has an important role to play.

“Do the simple things – make sure you get your repeat prescriptions before you run out, visit your local pharmacy first for help with coughs and colds, earaches and headaches.

“Across the NHS, we encourage you to look at the Choose Well website.”

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “This year has been the busiest on record for Welsh emergency care services. Last month was the busiest September on record for emergency department attendances and for the most urgent ambulance calls.

“This is now a year-round challenge. We’re investing an additional £30m to support health and social care services for the rest of 2019-20.”