Position Statements
‘Chaotic and dangerous spiral of decline in NHS gravely concerning’ warns immediate past president
The latest NHS performance data, released today (09 November), shows among other things: * 70.2% of patients were seen within four hours in all A&E departments last month compared to 71.6% in September 2023 and 69.5% in October 2022. The 95% standard was last met in July 2015. * 69.7% of patients were seen within…
Read MoreSAM shares concerns raised by Public Accounts Committee
Commenting on the release today (25 October) of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Report Access to urgent and emergency care, Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “We share the concerns raised today by the Public Accounts Committee and fully support the call for action from NHS leaders and the Department of…
Read More‘Industrial action must be resolved before winter’ – SAM president
Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) president Dr Tim Cooksley has warned industrial action across the NHS must end before winter to avoid “appalling” patient outcomes and experiences. He spoke at the start of the organisation’s two-day conference in Glasgow today and tomorrow (12 and 13 October) and following the release today of the latest NHS performance…
Read More‘Long waiting lists necessitate access to urgent and emergency care’ – SAM president
Commenting on a report by the Press Association about a rise in the number of people attending A&Es with sore throats, insomnia, coughs and earache, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Long waiting lists mean patients will often be unable to tolerate symptoms necessitating them to access urgent and emergency…
Read More’Perfect storm of events may make this winter worse’ – SAM president
Commenting on figures released by the Royal College for Emergency Medicine today (25 September) which showed 399,908 people waited 24 hours or more in an emergency department in England in 2022/23, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This data is a further illustration of the appalling experiences and harm for…
Read More‘Extremely troubled times ahead in the NHS as winter approaches’ – SAM president
The latest NHS performance data released today (14 September 2023) shows, among other things: * 73% of patients were seen within four hours in all A&E departments in August compared to 74% in July 2023 and 71.7% in August 2022. The 95% standard was last met in July 2015. * There were 120,000 four-hour delays…
Read MoreSAM raises concerns around the urgent and emergency care plan and responds to NHS England’s winter plan
In August, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, worked alongside colleagues to highlight concerns around the NHS’s urgent and emergency care plan and respond to the NHS England’s winter plan. https://www.bmj.com/content/382/bmj.p1806 https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news/early-approach-winter-planning-urgent-and-emergency-care-vital-we-must-act-now https://www.hsj.co.uk/quality-and-performance/the-nhs-is-not-being-ambitious-enough-on-emergency-care/7035300.article
Read MoreSpiral of decline in urgent and emergency care evident every month – SAM president
The latest NHS performance data released today shows, among other things: *73.3% of patients were seen within four hours in all A&E departments this month compared to 74.0% in May 2023 and 72.1% in June 2022. The 95% standard was last met in July 2015. * There were 114,000 four-hour delays from decision to admit…
Read MoreSAM response to NHS Long Term Workforce Plan
The much anticipated and eagerly awaited NHS Long Term Workforce Plan has been published: in itself an important achievement and, like so many organisations who have called for this, we were pleased to digest its 151 pages. The challenges are stark: 112,000 clinical vacancies currently; expected to increase to 360,000 in 2037. The recruitment plans are rightly ambitious in addressing this:…
Read MoreHealth Foundation analysis illustrates “immense strain” on urgent and emergency care – SAM president
A new analysis published today (Friday, 23 June) by the Health Foundation shows that 800,000 (12%) fewer patients in England were admitted to hospital in 2022 than in 2019, while the average length of stay in hospital increased. Commenting on the report, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The Health Foundation report is a further illustration of…
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