News
‘15% rise in 12-hour waits a stark warning’ says SAM president (09 October)
Commenting on the release today (09 October) of the latest monthly NHS performance data, Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The 15% rise in 12-hour waits in emergency departments is a stark warning that urgent and emergency care across the UK is in a state of national emergency. “Nearly 1,500 people…
Read More‘NHS winter announcements will come as little comfort to public and staff’ – SAM president (16 September)
Commenting on NHS England’s press release ‘Stress tests’ and pre-winter check-ins as NHS ramps up winter prep, published today (Tuesday, 16 September), Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “We welcome the fact that planning for this winter is being prioritised, and seemingly earlier than previous years. However, while NHS England…
Read MoreFigures ‘lay bare ongoing crisis in acute care’ says SAM past president (11 September)
Commenting on the latest NHS performance data released today (11 September) which shows, among other things, the number of people waiting 12 hours or more in emergency departments has increased by 26% on last year at 35,909, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The latest NHS performance figures…
Read MoreSAM “remains deeply concerned” about publication of NHS league tables (09 September)
Commenting on the launch today (09 September) of NHS performance league tables as part of the NHS oversight framework 2025/26, Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “While we welcome transparency in NHS performance, we remain deeply concerned about the publication of league tables which have been released for the first time…
Read More12-hour waits ‘symptom of sustained and intolerable pressure’ – SAM past president (01 September)
Commenting on a Liberal Democrat analysis of NHS data which showed hospitals faced their busiest summer ever this year, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The Society for Acute Medicine has long warned that 12-hour waits in emergency departments are not isolated events but symptoms of a system…
Read More‘Unacceptable amount of people waiting over 12 hours’ – SAM president (14 August)
Commenting on the release today (14 August) of the latest NHS performance data, Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “These figures again highlight the extent of the crisis across urgent and emergency care, with an unacceptable amount of people – 35,467 – waiting over 12 hours in emergency departments, often…
Read MoreSAM supports RCP calls for national end-of-life and palliative care strategy (08 August)
The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) is supporting a new policy position launched by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) on end-of-life and palliative care. It calls on government and health system leaders to transform how dying is recognised and supported across the NHS and social care. The RCP is calling on government to: Dr…
Read More‘Journey of NHS and social care recovery will be long and complicated’ – SAM past president (02 August)
Commenting on NHS data obtained by The Guardian which showed three million people on NHS England waiting lists have had no care since a GP referral, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This data is a further illustration of the depth of the crisis that the NHS faces.…
Read MoreResponse from the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), UK to NHS England’s Medical Training Review Call for Evidence
Introduction The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), the representative body for professionals working in Acute Internal Medicine (AIM) across the UK, welcomes the opportunity to respond to NHS England’s Medical Training Review. Acute Medicine lies at the heart of the NHS, delivering high-quality, time-sensitive care for acutely unwell patients and playing a crucial role in…
Read More‘Focus being placed in wrong areas’ with publication of NHS league tables – SAM statement (10 July)
Commenting on the release today (10 July) of a new NHS England dashboard naming England’s best and worst performing hospitals for waiting times, cancer treatment and other key targets, a spokesperson for SAM, said: “We are concerned that focus is being placed in the wrong areas, with the risk that introducing league tables, alongside other…
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