AE missing targets

WARRINGTON Hospital’s A&E department has repeatedly missed its target of seeing 95 per cent of patients within four hours, according to MP Helen Jones.
The department has missed the target in 20 of the last 35 weeks, according to the Warrington North MP – meaning that a total of 3,318 people had to wait more than four hours.
Ms Jones blames the Government and says the number of nurses has been cut putting patients’ lives at risk.
New figures show that major A&E departments across the North West are consistently missing their waiting time targets.
Staff shortages across the NHS have left A&E departments over-stretched and under severe pressure, she claims.
When Labour left office, A&E was performing well with 98 per cent of patients seen within four hours. But since the 2010 general election, the number of patients waiting more than four hours has more than doubled.
The North West has lost 1,105 nurses since May 2010.
Ms Jones said: “A&E units in the North West are struggling in a way not seen since the old days of the mid-1990s.
“David Cameron promised the NHS would be safe on his watch but instead he has presided over the haemorrhaging of thousands of nurses and did nothing whilst A&Es struggled through the winter. Patients are suffering as a result.
“Patients should not be subjected to poor care because of this Government’s failings.
“The Government must devise an urgent plan to bring all A&Es up to the required standard and ensure there are enough staff on the ground across the NHS to provide the safe care we need.”