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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Struggling A&E units to get £500m bailout | Struggling A&E units to get £500m bailout |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Struggling A&E units in England are to be given a £500m bailout over the next two years to ensure waiting times are kept under control. | Struggling A&E units in England are to be given a £500m bailout over the next two years to ensure waiting times are kept under control. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron said the funds would be targeted at areas under most pressure after the NHS missed its waiting time target in the winter. | Prime Minister David Cameron said the funds would be targeted at areas under most pressure after the NHS missed its waiting time target in the winter. |
| The money - sourced from savings - will be deployed in A&E units and linked community services, such as pharmacies. | The money - sourced from savings - will be deployed in A&E units and linked community services, such as pharmacies. |
| Doctors said the government was guilty of "papering over the cracks". | Doctors said the government was guilty of "papering over the cracks". |
| News of the cash injection comes a fortnight after the Commons Health Select Committee said the "confusing" and "contradictory" information it had received over NHS crisis plans raised questions about whether it would be in a position to cope better next winter. | News of the cash injection comes a fortnight after the Commons Health Select Committee said the "confusing" and "contradictory" information it had received over NHS crisis plans raised questions about whether it would be in a position to cope better next winter. |
| During the cross-party group's investigation, the MPs found just 17% of hospitals had the recommended level of consultant cover, while difficulties with discharging patients and a lack of beds at times meant the flow of patients through the system was disrupted. | During the cross-party group's investigation, the MPs found just 17% of hospitals had the recommended level of consultant cover, while difficulties with discharging patients and a lack of beds at times meant the flow of patients through the system was disrupted. |
| 'Pinch-points' | 'Pinch-points' |
| The problems in A&E units have stabilised in the past few months, but from January to March the NHS, which has an annual budget of more than £100bn in England, missed its four-hour waiting time target as long waits hit their highest level for nine years. | |
| More than 300,000 patients waited longer than they should have - a 39% rise on the previous year. | More than 300,000 patients waited longer than they should have - a 39% rise on the previous year. |
| The Department of Health said £500m - sourced from its own efficiency savings programme - was being provided after the NHS had been working hard to put plans in place to cope with growing demands. | The Department of Health said £500m - sourced from its own efficiency savings programme - was being provided after the NHS had been working hard to put plans in place to cope with growing demands. |
| These included schemes being drawn up to provide more support to care homes to help the frail elderly and increasing opening hours at walk-in centres and pharmacies. | These included schemes being drawn up to provide more support to care homes to help the frail elderly and increasing opening hours at walk-in centres and pharmacies. |
| However, the money will be focused only on the minority of the 168 A&E units with the worst problems. | However, the money will be focused only on the minority of the 168 A&E units with the worst problems. |
| The troubled 111 non-emergency phone service is also to get a £15m cash injection. It comes after problems rolling out the service and the news last month that one of the major suppliers wanted to pull out. | The troubled 111 non-emergency phone service is also to get a £15m cash injection. It comes after problems rolling out the service and the news last month that one of the major suppliers wanted to pull out. |
| Mr Cameron said it was important the NHS had the funds to tackle the "pinch-points". | Mr Cameron said it was important the NHS had the funds to tackle the "pinch-points". |
| "By acting now, we can ensure doctors, nurses and NHS staff have the support they need and patients are not left facing excessive waits for treatment," he said. | "By acting now, we can ensure doctors, nurses and NHS staff have the support they need and patients are not left facing excessive waits for treatment," he said. |
| But doctors have cast doubt over the impact the money will have. | But doctors have cast doubt over the impact the money will have. |
| Dr Clifford Mann, of the College of Emergency Medicine, said: "It is a short-term fix. It does not address the underlying cause - we have a shortage of doctors. | Dr Clifford Mann, of the College of Emergency Medicine, said: "It is a short-term fix. It does not address the underlying cause - we have a shortage of doctors. |
| 'Decisions needed now' | 'Decisions needed now' |
| "It is also very demoralising. Only the hospitals that are deemed to have failed will get the money. Those that worked hard to keep going are not getting anything." | "It is also very demoralising. Only the hospitals that are deemed to have failed will get the money. Those that worked hard to keep going are not getting anything." |
| A spokesman for the British Medical Association (BMA) said it was right that the government was listening to the concerns of doctors and patients but added: "At a time when they are demanding cuts of £20bn across the NHS, this is nothing more than papering over the cracks. | A spokesman for the British Medical Association (BMA) said it was right that the government was listening to the concerns of doctors and patients but added: "At a time when they are demanding cuts of £20bn across the NHS, this is nothing more than papering over the cracks. |
| "It is recognition that their austerity programme has hospitals facing ever increasing demands with diminishing resources." | "It is recognition that their austerity programme has hospitals facing ever increasing demands with diminishing resources." |
| Labour's shadow health minister Jamie Reed said: "David Cameron's A&E crisis is a symptom of wider problems in the NHS and care system, which this announcement will not address." | Labour's shadow health minister Jamie Reed said: "David Cameron's A&E crisis is a symptom of wider problems in the NHS and care system, which this announcement will not address." |
| Lord Hunt, Labour's deputy leader in the House of Lords, said he feared the extra money had come too late and warned: "Decisions need to be made now on spending in the winter." | Lord Hunt, Labour's deputy leader in the House of Lords, said he feared the extra money had come too late and warned: "Decisions need to be made now on spending in the winter." |
| Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George, a member of the Health Select Committee, said the money was "very welcome", but the government had to ensure it was "put to best use" and "distributed fairly". | Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George, a member of the Health Select Committee, said the money was "very welcome", but the government had to ensure it was "put to best use" and "distributed fairly". |