The latest NHS performance data released today (14 September 2023) shows, among other things:
* 73% of patients were seen within four hours in all A&E departments in August compared to 74% in July 2023 and 71.7% in August 2022. The 95% standard was last met in July 2015.
* There were 120,000 four-hour delays from decision to admit to admission, which compares to 130,000 in August 2022.
Of these, 28,900 were delayed over twelve hours (from decision to admit to admission), which compares to 28,700 in August 2022.
* The number of referral to treatment (RTT) pathways where a patient was waiting to start treatment at the end of July 2023 was 7.7 million – up from 7.6 million.
* The total number of patients waiting six weeks or more from referral for one of the 15 key diagnostic tests at the end of July 2023 was 405,400. This was 25.5% of the total number of patients waiting at the end of the month. This is up from 25.2%.
Full data can be found at: www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/
Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “These figures reflect the tremendous efforts of NHS staff to keep the system afloat. However, they are all demonstrate a trajectory towards a winter equally as bad as last year’s “worst ever”.
“A small wave only is needed to deepen the crisis in urgent and emergency care; well-illustrated by the hot weather last week which caused many hospitals great challenges.
“Last week, a coroner in Blackpool issued a prevention of future death notice for Mr Pedley, a 90-year-old man who died waiting to be seen by a doctor in a chair in an overcrowded Emergency Department.
“Sadly he suffered a terminal event for which treatment would not have been possible; but dignity and comfort in death is an essential component of healthcare.
“This poor man, like many others last winter, did not receive that; his case not isolated and many more will sadly have similar experiences over the next few months.
“There is a tacit acceptance and almost normalisation of poor urgent and emergency care heading in to this winter.
“Corridor care, overcrowded and understaffed Emergency Departments and Acute Medical Units, ongoing industrial action and a target that only 1 in 4 people wait more four hours in an Emergency Department. This is an environment perfectly designed to ensure there are more patients like Mr Pedley this winter.
“Inevitably, we are heading for even more extremely troubled times in the NHS. Mitigation is possible – resolving industrial action, a stronger commitment to funding the workforce plan and a significant emergency package to support social care are essential – but the window of opportunity to do so is getting increasingly narrow.
“Long term, sustainable and evidence-based plans are needed for the NHS so that this is not a further decade of inexorable healthcare decline in the UK. These are needed now so that patients and staff can see some light at the end of an increasingly fading tunnel.”