Position Statements
Acute medicine in Scotland: fixing hospital flow, reforming social care and protecting patients must be central to the 2026 election
The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) in Scotland is calling on all political parties to place urgent reform of acute and emergency care at the centre of their plans ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections. Recent work from partner organisations has highlighted the severe consequences of front-door overcrowding and dangerous delays. A joint report…
Read More12-hour wait data “shows situation is worsening” – SAM president (12 February)
Commenting on the release today (12 February) of the latest NHS performance data which shows 71,517 patients were delayed over 12 hours in emergency departments (2,307 decision to admit delays over 12 hours per day which is an increase of 16.2% from January 2025), Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said:…
Read MoreSAM welcomes publication of model emergency department guidance (9 February)
Commenting on the release today (Monday, 9 February) of NHS England’s Model Emergency Department guidance alongside new standards for care in the first 72 hours of hospital admission, Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, and Dr Nick Murch, immediate past president, said: “The Society for Acute Medicine welcomes the publication of NHS England’s…
Read MoreCorridor care ‘endemic and shameful failure’ – SAM president (20 January)
Commenting on Age UK’s analysis of corridor care and A&E waits release today (Wednesday, 21 January), Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This analysis is just further evidence that ‘corridor care’ has shifted from the seasonal emergency it once was to an endemic and shameful failure of the healthcare system which…
Read MoreData shows system “stretched beyond safe limits” – SAM president (15 January)
Commenting on the latest NHS performance data published today (15 January), Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Today’s data shows more than 50,700 patients waited over 12 hours from the decision to admit to actually reaching a bed – an increase on the previous month and equivalent to more than…
Read MoreServices to prevent hospital admissions “must be protected not cut” – SAM president (12 January)
Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, features in a BBC News in-depth feature published today (12 January) on the impact of delayed discharges on patients, clinicians and the NHS. She also featured on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme (starts 2:46:20). Dr Price’s comments in full: “There has been lots of good work done [to…
Read MoreSAM president sounds alarm over government’s focus on ‘online hospitals’ while patients suffer “unprecedented harm” (08 January)
Society for Acute Medicine president Dr Vicky Price has raised concerns over the government’s focus on future digital developments such the NHS online hospital initiative while patients seeking emergency care are suffering “unprecedented harm”. She said while developments to reduce waits for some patients are welcome, there is “no excuse” for failing to acknowledge and…
Read MoreSituation in hospitals “already truly shocking” – SAM president (15 December)
Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, commented in today’s Guardian ( 15 December) on a new report released by the Health Foundation which suggests hospitals will have fewer beds available this winter than usual because “delayed discharges” – beds occupied by people who are medically fit to leave but have nowhere…
Read More‘Corridor care on an unprecedented scale’ – SAM president (11 December)
Commenting on the latest NHS performance data released today (11 December), Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The latest NHS monthly performance data released today paints a sadly familiar picture of a system under relentless strain. “With record 12-hour waits continuing to mount – 50,648 last month, up 10.6% on…
Read MoreSAM president says 55,000 12-hour delays “deeply concerning” ahead of winter months (13 November)
Commenting on the release today (13 November) of the latest NHS performance data, Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The latest performance data highlights the strain on the NHS, with patients enduring prolonged waits for assessment and care, beds full and staff exhausted – and this is before we hit…
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