This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30541135
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| A&E has 'worst week' in England | A&E has 'worst week' in England |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pressures in England's A&E units have hit record levels, with the lowest percentage of patients seen within four hours since monitoring began in 2010. | Pressures in England's A&E units have hit record levels, with the lowest percentage of patients seen within four hours since monitoring began in 2010. |
| Data showed just under 90% of patients were seen within four hours in the seven days up to December 14. | |
| Major units particularly struggled, with just six out of 140 meeting the target to see 95% within four hours. | |
| Performance in Wales and Northern Ireland is even worse, while the picture in Scotland is unclear. | Performance in Wales and Northern Ireland is even worse, while the picture in Scotland is unclear. |
| As England is the only part of the UK that produces weekly data, how the NHS is performing there gives the best indication of the pressure the system is under. | As England is the only part of the UK that produces weekly data, how the NHS is performing there gives the best indication of the pressure the system is under. |
| Strain | Strain |
| Just over 440,000 patients visited A&E in the week ending 14 December with 89.8% seen within four hours. | Just over 440,000 patients visited A&E in the week ending 14 December with 89.8% seen within four hours. |
| As well as posting the worst performance against the four-hour target, other measures also show the service is under strain. | As well as posting the worst performance against the four-hour target, other measures also show the service is under strain. |
| There were over 111,000 emergency admissions to hospital - 80,000 from A&E units - which is an all-time high. | There were over 111,000 emergency admissions to hospital - 80,000 from A&E units - which is an all-time high. |
| Trolley waits - that is waits of four hours or more for a bed once a decision to admit a patient into hospital from A&E is made - topped 10,000 for the first time. | Trolley waits - that is waits of four hours or more for a bed once a decision to admit a patient into hospital from A&E is made - topped 10,000 for the first time. |
| That compares to under 4,000 for the same week last year. | That compares to under 4,000 for the same week last year. |
| Delays getting patients out of hospital once they are ready for discharge are also much higher than average. | Delays getting patients out of hospital once they are ready for discharge are also much higher than average. |
| Dr Barbara Hakin, from NHS England, said the pressures were continuing to increase "significantly". | Dr Barbara Hakin, from NHS England, said the pressures were continuing to increase "significantly". |
| "We have admitted more people to hospital this week to take care of them than in any previous week on record. I want to pay tribute to the staff dealing with that - they are doing a brilliant job. | "We have admitted more people to hospital this week to take care of them than in any previous week on record. I want to pay tribute to the staff dealing with that - they are doing a brilliant job. |
| "While we are now below the extremely high waiting time standards that we set ourselves, the service we provide remains robust. | "While we are now below the extremely high waiting time standards that we set ourselves, the service we provide remains robust. |
| "The NHS's waiting times for urgent treatment are among the best for any major country that measures them. | "The NHS's waiting times for urgent treatment are among the best for any major country that measures them. |
| "As we come into the holiday period, it is important people continue to look after themselves and nip problems in the bud. | "As we come into the holiday period, it is important people continue to look after themselves and nip problems in the bud. |
| "They should ensure they have proper medication, get their flu jab if they have not done so, and get advice from their pharmacist." | "They should ensure they have proper medication, get their flu jab if they have not done so, and get advice from their pharmacist." |
| Analysis: How bad is it going to get? | |
| Performance in England has hit an all-time low since weekly monitoring began in 2010. | |
| But this looks like it will just be the start of what promises to be the most difficult winter for the NHS for a generation. | |
| The four-hour target was introduced in 2004 to combat the long waits patients faced for treatment. | |
| Since then hospitals have performed remarkably well. | |
| During winter months it has tended to dip below the target level, but not for long. | |
| That is in stark contrast to Wales and Northern Ireland, which routinely miss their target. | |
| This, however, is completely different. The target has been met only once since August and now performance has dipped below 90%. | |
| The scale of the drop is causing concern not only to the health service, but to the government too with an election just around the corner. | |
| Around the UK | Around the UK |
| As health is devolved, data is published differently across the UK. | As health is devolved, data is published differently across the UK. |
| While England publishes weekly data, the others release it monthly or quarterly. | While England publishes weekly data, the others release it monthly or quarterly. |
| In Wales the data from November shows just 83.8% of patients were seen in time. | In Wales the data from November shows just 83.8% of patients were seen in time. |
| Northern Ireland is performing even worse - just over 80% of patients were seen within four hours in November. | Northern Ireland is performing even worse - just over 80% of patients were seen within four hours in November. |
| Scotland has a slightly tougher waiting time target - 98% of patients should be seen in four hours - but in September 93.5% were. | Scotland has a slightly tougher waiting time target - 98% of patients should be seen in four hours - but in September 93.5% were. |
| Comparing the September figures for England and Scotland shows England was performing slightly better in that month. | Comparing the September figures for England and Scotland shows England was performing slightly better in that month. |
| It means according to latest data all parts of the UK are missing the A&E waiting time target. | It means according to latest data all parts of the UK are missing the A&E waiting time target. |
| Each nation has set aside extra money for winter pressures. | Each nation has set aside extra money for winter pressures. |
| In England a record £700m has been set aside, while earlier this week the Scottish government announced it was increasing its funding by £10m, bringing the total pot to over £28m. | In England a record £700m has been set aside, while earlier this week the Scottish government announced it was increasing its funding by £10m, bringing the total pot to over £28m. |
| Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison said: "We know the winter months may be challenging for our health boards." | Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison said: "We know the winter months may be challenging for our health boards." |
| How the UK is preparing for winter | How the UK is preparing for winter |
| Have you recently visited an A&E unit? Are you an NHS worker? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Have you recently visited an A&E unit? Are you an NHS worker? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Have your say | Have your say |