Waiting times for A&E units fail to hit the mark as patients continue to wait for hours

WAITING times in hospital accident and emergency units have failed to meet targets for the 20th week in a row, NHS England said last night.

A&E GETTY

Hospital A&E units have failed to reach waiting time targets

The announcement came as weekly admission fi gures reached their highest level since Christmas, at 420,700 patients.

A&E patients are meant to be seen within four hours in at least 95 per cent of cases.

But NHS England said only 91.6 per cent of patients were seen on time in the week ending February 15, down from 92.9 per cent the previous week.

Public Health England said the week also saw signifi cant excess mortality among those aged over 65, coinciding with winter fl u and the recent cold snaps.

Cold weather alerts have been in place across the country since January 12.

The number of instances of “bedblocking” was the same as the previous week, with 4,000 hospital beds unavailable for incoming patients because of delays in moving existing patients elsewhere.

Dr Barbara Hakin, national director of commissioning operations for NHS England, said: “Last week saw a sharp increase in A&E attendances and emergency admissions – up by nearly 15,000 on the week before.

“This has resulted in a slight impact on waiting times, but we continue to admit, treat and discharge more than nine out of 10 patients within four hours.”

Last week saw a sharp increase in A&E attendances and emergency admissions – up by nearly 15,000 on the week before

Dr Barbara Hakin

Earlier this month it was revealed that more than a million patients were having to return to accident and emergency departments to get the care they need.

Doctors and patients, leaders blamed rushed care and a lack of GP appointments.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said accident and emergency units are understaffed.

It said departments had too few nurses and stated that one nurse should never have to look after more than four casualty beds.

Almost 500,000 patients a year leave hospital without being treated as they give up on waiting, figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre showed.

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