SAM president says ‘shame of dangerous waits and overcrowding must end’ following release of 12-hour wait data (24 June)

Commenting on data released by the Liberal Democrats today (Monday, 24 June) which shows 440,000 patients waited 12 hours or more in emergency departments last year, Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The Liberal Democrats’ continued focus on health and social care and, in particular, dangerous waits and overcrowding in emergency departments is very much needed and should be followed by the other parties for the remainder of this election campaign and beyond.

“Failure to address this adequately in the election campaign with meaningful debate and honest discussions about sustainable solutions inevitably means that acute medical patients will be languishing in corridors for the foreseeable future leading to severe harm and earlier deaths. This is a national emergency and must be recognised as that.

“This is an unacceptable new normal. Sadly the burden of risk is borne by the most vulnerable patients: older patients and those with heart disease and cancer. This shame must end.”