A&E waiting times are worst on record
O’NEILL IS COMING HOME ... AND KEANE IS SET TO JOIN HIM 100 ADDITIONAL BEDS FAIL TO EASE PRESSURE IN DECEMBER
WAITING times at the Queen’s Medical Centre’s Accident and Emergency department during December were the worst since records began.
Nottingham University Hospitals has apologised for the long waits, but reiterated that “services are under considerable pressure” following a surge in patients.
The record waiting times come despite efforts to tackle the growing problem with over “100 seasonal escalation beds” and a newly expanded emergency department.
More than a third of A&E patients were left waiting for more than four hours, with only 62.9 percent of patients waiting less than four hours from arrival in December at Nottingham University Hospitals.
This marked the trust’s worst performance since monthly waiting time records began back in June 2015.
The increased waiting times stem primarily from a lack of beds, both in general and critical care units.
Figures revealed that 92.7 percent of general beds at Nottingham hospitals were occupied last week while 83.2 percent of critical care beds were all taken up in the week ending January 6.
It is currently advised that levels should be below 85 percent, as anything over this is regarded as a risk to patients, with complications such as MRSA becoming more prominent where there are more people.
The lack of beds also causes delays for patients arriving in ambulances, with handover times going beyond the current target of 15 minutes.
In total 117 ambulances across Nottingham had to wait for more than half an hour in the week ending January 6.
Four more ambulances were left to wait for more than an hour, according to NHS England statistics released this year.
Frank Coffey, head of service for the emergency department at Not-
tingham University Hospitals, said: “Our services are under considerable pressure following a significant increase in the number of very poorly patients requiring emergency admission to our hospital and a spike in flu cases since the New Year.
“We have been close to full capacity, despite opening more than 100 seasonal escalation beds and additional community capacity being available.
“Regrettably, some of our emergency patients have experienced long waits, for which we apologise, though our newly-expanded Emergency Department has reduced overcrowding, which means our patients are being cared for in a better environment.
“We ask the people of Nottingham to only to use the Emergency Department for serious and life-threatening illness and injuries.
Sherwood Forest Hospitals, however, has been ranked eighth in the country for the four-hour wait time target after 94.9 percent of patients spent less than four hours in A&E in December.
Yet the trust still had a high amount of general beds that were occupied in the week ending January 6, with 88.6 percent being taken.
Furthermore, some 77.2 percent of critical care beds were taken up.
Chief operating officer for Sherwood Forest Hospitals, Simon Barton, said: “Sherwood Forest Hospitals has put a robust winter plan in place this year, which has ensured that our patients have received good access to the care that they need in a timely and safe manner.”