‘No let up in strain on urgent and emergency care with 12-hour waits up’ – SAM past president (12 June)

Commenting on the release today (12 June) of the latest NHS performance data, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “There is no let up in the strain on urgent and emergency care with a significant amount of people waiting over 12 hours in emergency departments last month – 42,891, an increase of 0.8% on last year.

“This will continue to impede the delivery of safe and effective care and has become the accepted norm which is tragic – and the fundamental actions needed to change this remain elusive.

“Social care remains unaddressed – and will do for the foreseeable future after the spending review announcement – so patients will continue to wait extended periods of time and often in corridors. 

“The issue remains that, for all the rhetoric of investment, plans and solutions, the government is too focused on short-term quick wins which will fail to deliver effective and lasting change.”