More than four in five A&E arrivals in the Liverpool Women's Trust seen within four hours – meeting NHS target

General view of an Accident and Emergency Sign at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. General view of an Accident and Emergency Sign at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
General view of an Accident and Emergency Sign at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
More than four in five people who arrived at A&E in the Liverpool Women's Trust were seen within four hours last month, new figures show – surpassing the NHS recovery target.

More than four in five people who arrived at A&E in the Liverpool Women's Trust were seen within four hours last month, new figures show – surpassing the NHS recovery target.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The NHS standard is for 95% of patients to be seen within four hours. However, the Government announced a two-year plan to stabilise NHS services earlier this year which set a recovery target of 76% of patients being seen within four hours by March 2024.

NHS England figures show there were 1,527 visits to A&E at Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust in October. Of them, 1,295 were seen within four hours – accounting for 85% of arrivals.

It means Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust met the recovery target but fell short of the NHS standard.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Across England, some 70% of patients were seen within four hours in A&Es last month, down from 72% in September. The figure hit a record low of 65% in December 2022.

The numbers also show 44,655 people waited over 12 hours in A&E departments from a decision to admit to actually being admitted, up 35% from September. None of these patients were at Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust.

Health think tank The King’s Fund, said this winter will be "bleak" for the NHS, particularly as it faces high levels of flu and Covid-19 in the coming weeks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Danielle Jefferies, senior analyst at the think tank, added the number of people waiting more than four hours to be seen is "far from the performance standards patients would expect".

She said: "To get the sector back on track in the longer term and break the cycle of ‘bad’ winters, bold action by government and national leaders will be necessary."

"This includes action to make health and care a more attractive career, bolstering out-of-hospital care such as primary, community and social care services, and helping people live healthier lives through a focus on prevention."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

NHS England said A&E department had the busiest October on record as 2.2 million people attended accident and emergency departments.

The overall number of attendances to speciality departments at Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust in October was a rise of 16% on the 1,321 visits recorded during September, and 18% more than the 1,289 patients seen in October 2022.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: "Today’s figures are a stark reminder of the ongoing pressures the NHS is facing, particularly in emergency care with significant demand for ambulances and A&E, as we head into what we are expecting to be another challenging winter in the health service."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added local areas are prioritising urgent and emergency care as strikes have had a significant impact on staff and patients.

"And as ever, the public can help play their part this winter by getting their flu and Covid-19 vaccinations when eligible," he added.