Sort out the waiting times in A&E first

HAMPSHIRE Hospitals Foundation Trust, covering Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester, are busy putting forward proposals to build a new hospital at Dummer near the M3/A303 interchange. I would argue their short term is focused more on the immediate crisis at A&E.

Last year, 483 patients waited over 24 hours at A&E before being admitted to hospital, Freedom of Information requests have revealed.

The data showed staggering increases in the number of patients and pensioners waiting more than a day to be admitted to our local hospitals.

In 2019, 38 patients waited over 24 hours to be admitted to hospital following their arrival in A&E.

For 2023, that number now stands at a shocking 483, a staggering 1,171 per cent increase.

Those aged 65 and over have also experienced disturbing increases in 24-hour waits.

In 2019, eight over 65s waited more than a day for a bed, last year this increased to over 259.

Of those waiting 24 hours to be admitted to hospital after arriving at A&E last year, 53 per cent were over 65.

Nationally, 153,000 people waited over 24 hours to be admitted to hospital following their arrival in A&E in 2023. This is a shocking 10-fold increase on the just over 15,000 people who waited over 24 hours in 2019.

Of those waiting 24 hours to be admitted to hospital in A&E last year, more than two-thirds were over 65.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine recently produced an analysis which showed that there were almost 300 excess deaths a week in A&E associated with long delays. It is appalling that so many people are being forced to put up with these terrifying waits.

Our doctors and nurses are working incredibly hard but are being let down by a lack of funding. It is not right that our community is suffering the consequences of this Conservative Government’s neglect of local health services. We need an end to excessive A&E waits by increasing the number of fully-staffed hospital beds, along with a longterm solution to the social care crisis so people are not left stuck in hospital.

LUIGI GREGORI

Liberal Democrat prospective Parliamentary candidate for North West Hants