Numbers waiting four hours in A&E ‘set to reach 3.6m next year’

THE NUMBER of people waiting more than four hours to be seen in A&E at hospitals in England will reach 3.6m next year, health leaders have warned.

NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, also predicted the number of people waiting more than the target of 18 weeks for routine care would reach 560,000 by March 2019 – a rise of 80,000.

Patient care is likely to “continue to fall below the standards trusts consider acceptable next year”, according to NHS Providers’ new report.

Just one in 20 NHS trusts believed they could meet the fourhour A&E target next year, the report said. The organisation welcomed Prime Minister Theresa May’s indication that the NHS would get a long-term funding plan, but said it would not resolve immediate challenges.

The report warns that the performance expected and the savings demanded from the NHS for next year were “beyond reach”. Setting unachievable tasks for NHS trusts was creating a “toxic” culture and damaging morale, the report said.

NHS Providers’ chief executive Chris Hopson said: “The new financial year begins next week. Whilst we strongly welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to increase long-term funding for the NHS, it makes no immediate difference to the tough task facing trusts for next year. This report also shows, as the Prime Minister argued, that this is not just about funding. Trusts are struggling with major workforce shortages and they need help from the Government here too.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We know that demand continues to grow, and that staff have never worked harder, which is why we are funding a pay rise to more than one million dedicated staff as well as expanding the number of training places for doctors, nurses and midwives.

“The Prime Minister and Health and Social Care Secretary have committed to a fully-funded, long-term plan for the NHS, which will be agreed with NHS leaders, clinicians, and health experts including NHS Providers, and the Government gave the NHS top priority in the Autumn Budget, with an extra £2.8bn investment.”