LATEST A&E FIGURES REVEALED

A new patient visits Sunderland Royal Hospital’s A&E department every three minutes, according to new figures.

Statistics released by NHS Digital show that 140,037 patients went to the emergency ward in 2015/16, with 131,032, or 93.6%, waiting less than four hours for treatment.

The Department for Health target for trusts to treat A&E patients within four hours of arrival is 95%.

Of all trusts in England, 91.9% of patients were seen in the target time frame during 2015/16.

A&Es across the country continue to be put under pressure, with attendances particularly high during winter.

Ken Bremner, chief executive of City Hospitals Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trusts, said: “The last few years have been particularly challenging ones for the NHS nationally in many ways, not least in terms of the ever-increasing demand on accident and emergency services, which we have experienced in our own trusts and which we continue to experience today.

“Despite this, our staff continue to do a magnificent job in ensuring our patients are managed quickly and safely through the system and receive the right care for their needs.

“We appreciate patients’ understanding and patience if they do come to A&E and find they have to wait longer than normal.

“They can be assured that our staff are doing their very best to attend to them as quickly as possible in order of clinical need.”

The news comes a week after NHS bosses warned thousands of patients used the North East’s A&E departments during the runup to Christmas when they didn’t need to for ailments including broken finger nails, toothache and overdrinking alcohol. Between December 1 and Christmas Day, over 53,000 people attended major A&E departments in hospitals across the region, yet less than 30%, just over 15,000 people, actually needed admission to hospital for emergency treatment.

At City Hospitals Sunderland, 6,469 people attended the Royal’s A&E department, despite only 36%, or 2,315 people, actually needing emergency treatment.

Emergency hospital teams are calling upon the public to stop misusing A&E services for minor ailments which are not serious or lifethreatening.