Press
‘Warning of dangers of corridor care all year’ says SAM president-elect
Commenting in The Independent on an article regarding pressures on urgent and emergency care and the impact of corridor care, Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Corridor care on trollies undoubtedly leads to uncomfortable periods of time for patients, lacking the privacy and dignity that they deserve and leading to…
Read More‘Deeper crisis this winter is simply unavoidable’ says SAM
Please find below a statement from the Society for Acute Medicine in relation to today’s press release (07 December) issued by NHS England. Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This trajectory is not unexpected but the reality is that recovery plans for the NHS are well behind schedule…
Read More‘Share concerns about failure to prioritise health and social care spending‘ – SAM past president
Commenting on an analysis of the healthcare budget in the autumn statement carried out by the Liberal Democrats, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “We share the concerns of Sarah Olney regarding the failure to prioritise health and social care spending in the autumn statement. “By not prioritising…
Read More‘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 MoreOlder and frail patients waiting longer for emergency care than younger patients – SAMBA data
A study led by the University of Warwick in collaboration with the Society for Acute Medicine has found that younger patients with simpler problems are waiting less time for assessments than older and frailer patients with complex care needs. The study, which utilised data collected in the annual Society for Acute Medicine Benchmarking Audit (SAMBA),…
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‘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 More‘Spiral of decline in urgent and emergency care yet to reach lowest point’ – SAM in the BMJ
Dedicated hospital units designed to treat emergency medical patients for up to 72 hours are now under such intense demand that specialists are often forced to provide care in emergency departments. Writing in The BMJ (03 July), Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), and colleagues warn acute medicine is “wilting”…
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