07.12.12
CQC A&E patient survey finds 33% waiting more than four hours
A&E waiting times are increasing, according to a new report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
A survey found that 33% of people spent more than four hours in A&E, compared to 27% in 2008. Government targets show that no more than 5% of people should wait longer than four hours.
The CQC surveyed 46,000 patients between January and March 2012.
David Behan, the chief executive of the CQC, said: “The important issue is that people who need to be treated urgently, do not have to wait, it is disappointing therefore that people have said they have to wait longer to be treated than four years ago.
“People should be seen, diagnosed, treated and admitted or discharged as quickly as possible and this is an issue that trusts need to urgently tackle.”
A Department of Health spokesperson responded: “Meeting targets and ticking boxes does not ensure good patient care, and we are putting doctors and nurses in charge of making clinical decisions to ensure that the most sick patients in A&E are the highest priority.
“The latest official figures show that the vast majority of people are waiting just 40 minutes to be seen for the first time and the NHS continues to see 95% or more of patients in four hours or less in A&E.”
Mike Farrar, NHS Confederation chief executive, said: “There are a number of issues with these results that are a cause for concern, and highlight the growing pressures that our urgent and emergency services are facing.
“These results reinforce just how essential it is for all parts of the system to work together to deliver seamless care for patients.
“We know we need to change the way we deliver services to take pressure off our hospitals and improve access to urgent care out of hospital to make sure people get the right care when they need it.”
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive & general secretary of the RCN, said: “These findings are symptomatic of a system under huge strain because of a lack of beds and staff. Cutting resources further will only have a detrimental effect on the quality and accessibility of care.
“Part of the solution to these increasing pressures is community care. Community nursing staff provide preventative health care and support patients to manage their illnesses at home, keeping them out of A&E in the first place.”
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