News
Weight loss drug complications “not slowing down” says SAM president-elect (18 January)
Commenting in the Mail on Sunday (18 Jan) on an investigation which found hundreds of people are being hospitalised after suffering serious reactions to weight loss drugs, Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The Society for Acute Medicine warned last year about the number of patients attending hospitals with complications…
Read MoreONS data ‘illustrates harm caused by prolonged waits’ – SAM past president (17 January)
Commenting on analysis of the association between time spent in emergency care and 30-day post-discharge mortality published today (17 January) by the Office for National Statistics, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This important data from the ONS further illustrates the importance of timely acute care and the harm caused from…
Read MoreCorridor care concerns “raised consistently” but problems have worsened, says SAM president (17 January)
Commenting on the Royal College of Nursing’s On the Frontline of the UK’s Corridor Care Crisis report for a piece in The BMJ (17 January), Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, which represents healthcare staff working in acute medicine across the UK, said: “The issue of corridor care is one we…
Read More‘Flu message acted as smokescreen to fundamental problems’ says SAM president (16 January)
Commenting on the latest weekly sitrep data released today (16 January) by NHS England, Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The latest weekly data from NHS England highlights how hospitals are “jampacked” but this should really be described as “overflowing” given the fact many patients will be receiving care in…
Read MoreGovernment has “steadfastly avoided” measures needed to tackle corridor care – SAM past president (15 January)
Commenting on health and social care secretary Wes Streeting’s statement on winter pressures made in Parliament today (15 January), Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The secretary of state’s description of corridor care is accurate but the measures needed to change that direction – increased capacity, workforce and improvements…
Read MoreJoint letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on corridor care and actions required (12 January)
Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, has co-signed a letter to Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on corridor care as part of a coalition of trade unions, professional bodies, charities and patient groups calling for urgent action.
Read More‘Worsening of winter crisis predictable and inevitable’ says SAM president (11 January)
Commenting today (11 January) on analysis of NHS England data by the Liberal Democrats which showed there were a record 518,213 waits of 12 hours or more in emergency departments in 2024, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The alarming issue of long delays in emergency departments has…
Read More‘Data illustrates appalling extent of winter crisis’ – SAM past president (09 January)
Commenting on the release today (09 January) of the latest NHS monthly performance data, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This data, which shows 12-hour waits in emergency departments up 23.6% on last year at more than 54,000, further illustrates the appalling extent of the current winter crisis.…
Read MoreCurrent pressures on hospitals among “worst ever seen” says SAM past president (08 January)
Commenting on pressures across the NHS this week (08 January), Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The NHS and social care services remain under immense pressure with many colleagues reporting this is the worst it has ever been in their hospitals. “Each part of the system continues to…
Read MoreElective recovery plan “hollow and ill-fated” for failing to acknowledge role of social care and urgent and emergency care (06 January)
Commenting on the NHS elective recovery plan announced officially today by the Prime Minister, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The aim to reduce elective waiting times and the more innovative aspects of the plan are welcome. “However, in the middle of a winter of discontent this is hollow…
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