Position Statements
‘Standards at unacceptably poor level for patients and staff’ says SAM president
Commenting on today’s NHS performance data release, which shows 69.3% of patients were seen within four hours in A&E departments across October and contains some of the lowest levels of performance on record, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This latest set of performance data show that standards are at an unacceptably poor…
Read MoreSAM president warns of “new definition of crisis” as pressure on NHS grows
Commenting today (07 October) on growing levels of pressure across the NHS, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “We are deeply concerned that workforce and capacity issues in the NHS are simply not being addressed quickly or comprehensively enough to avoid disastrous consequences this winter. “We have delays in emergency…
Read MorePatients waiting for prolonged periods for urgent care “deeply concerning” – SAM past president
Commenting on the Hospital Accident & Emergency Activity 2021-22 data report published today (15 September) by NHS Digital, Dr Nick Scriven, former president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “We have warned that it is essential the number of patients waiting for prolonged periods for urgent care must not be seen as the new…
Read More‘Health secretary needs to deliver comprehensive workforce and capacity plan’ – SAM immediate past president
Commenting on the release today of the latest NHS performance data, which shows among other things that 28,756 patients waited more than 12 hours in A&E from decision to admit to admission in August, Dr Susan Crossland, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), said: “There remains no quick fix for the…
Read MoreMuch more planning and consultation needed on North Bristol Model – SAM past president
Commenting on NHS trusts implementing the North Bristol Model, which requires patients to be moved every hour from emergency departments to acute medicine units (AMUs) “irrespective of bed availability” and move patients every hour from AMU to wards, Dr Nick Scriven, a past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This will only be…
Read MoreCrisis the result of a sustained lack of action across key areas – SAM president
Commenting on government proposals to move millions of pounds assigned to help manage the Covid backlog into social care, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “It is important there is recognition of the dreadful state of affairs in the system caused by patients not being able to leave hospital when…
Read More‘Winter plan a start but can’t make up decline in staffing and capacity in a matter of months’ – SAM president
Commenting on the release today of NHS England’s winter plan, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “We welcome the development of a winter plan as, at the very least, it acknowledges some of the issues and the need for action on a national scale. “Urgent and emergency care is essential…
Read MoreNHS and social care crisis at “pivotal moment” – SAM president
Following the release today of the latest NHS performance data, which shows record numbers of patients waiting more than 12 hours to be admitted and the lowest proportion of people being seen within four hours in emergency departments, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “It remains essential that the number…
Read MoreUnacceptable waits for urgent care must not be new normal – SAM president
Commenting on the latest NHS performance data released today (14 July) and the current pressures facing the system, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The number of patients waiting for prolonged periods for urgent care remains unacceptable and must not be seen as the new normal. “Increasingly people will themselves,…
Read MoreSAM president warns of “appalling concoction” of poor performance and no easy short-term fixes as latest NHS data is released
Commenting on the release today (16 June) on the latest NHS performance data – which shows 73% of patients were seen within four hours in all A&E departments, 60.2% in type 1 departments, more than 19,000 patients waited longer than 12 hours, 439,300 patients have been waiting six weeks or more for a diagnostic test…
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