Press Releases

The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) and Digital Clinical Excellence Forum (DiCE) UK share the concerns raised by NHS England’s medical director regarding the inappropriate use of weight loss drugs to get “beach body ready”, as outlined in a statement issued by SAM in June. Anecdotal evidence suggests that patients are attending hospital with serious complications and may…

Commenting on an enquiry from The Guardian and The Observer about whether the UK is better or worse prepared today compared to 2020 following the findings outlined in the Covid inquiry, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The conclusion that we are less prepared for a pandemic as…

Commenting on Labour Party data which showed some patients waited up to 10 days in A&E in parts of England over the last year, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This data is yet more evidence of the appalling situation in urgent and emergency care. These patients are…

Commenting on an investigation by The Times into social media adverts promoting weight loss treatments “to get summer ready”, Dr Vicky Price, a consultant in acute medicine and president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “These adverts and the messages they are conveying are extremely worrying, particularly given the patients we are seeing with…

The latest NHS performance data released today (11 April) shows, among other things: *74.4% of patients were seen within four hours in all A&E departments in March 2024. This compares with 71.3% in February 2024 and 71.5% in March 2023. *There were 140,181 four-hour delays from decision to admit to admission in March. Of these,…

The latest NHS performance data released today (14 March) showed, among other things: Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The appalling experience patients and staff in acute care are suffering daily is reflected in the enormous number of patients waiting more than 12 hours for a bed.  “These…

In response to an enquiry from The Independent regarding the scale of risk to elderly patients in the current context of short staffing and boarding on medical wards, Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Older patients are increasingly receiving care well below the standards they should expect and that staff…

Responding to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies published today (04 March) which suggests the NHS in England is going to suffer a 1.2% cut in its budget for 2024/25, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The NHS finds itself in an eternal crisis. The pressures throughout…