Position Statements
‘Urgent care system remains hugely strained’ – SAM immediate past president
Commenting on news this week of the easing of Covid restrictions, Dr Susan Crossland, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said today (21 January): “In light of the latest moves to ease Covid restrictions we are keen to reiterate the urgent care system remains hugely strained and will continue to be for…
Read MoreNHS performance data shows ‘increasingly serious situation’ – SAM president
The latest NHS performance data released today (13 January) shows the number of people in England waiting to start routine hospital treatment has risen to six million, 12,986 people had to wait more than 12 hours in A&E departments and 120,218 people waited at least four hours in A&E from the decision to admit to admission.…
Read More‘Essential virtual wards are appropriately planned, resourced and staffed’ – SAM president
Commenting on the development of virtual wards and the need for careful implementation (reported today 07 January by the Health Service Journal), Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Urgent and emergency care services remain under huge pressure with concerns regarding overcrowding, delays in patient care and exhausted staff with increasing…
Read More‘Questions over how proposed ways out of current chaos can be delivered’ says SAM past president
Commenting today (03 January) on staff sickness rates, Covid admissions and increasing pressure across the NHS, Dr Nick Scriven, past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “I think we are beginning to see concerns moving from “Covid admissions swamping the service” to “the service risks being decimated” but through it all we cannot…
Read More‘NHS functioning on life support only’ says SAM president
Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, provides an update on current NHS pressures and the impact on acute care (28 December): “As hopefully many enjoy a festive period, each component of the NHS and social care is under increasing strain with limited capacity to absorb any further surges in a hugely pressured winter. “The system…
Read MoreNHS pressures ‘far worse than this time last year’ says SAM president
Following the release today (09 December) of the latest NHS performance data which shows last month was one of the busiest on record, with waiting times for hospital treatment and admission from emergency departments hitting record highs across England, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The current feeling in Acute…
Read MoreMedics warn flagship NHS project to reduce hospital admissions “stalling”
24 November 2021 Senior medics have warned a flagship NHS England project to improve urgent care and reduce hospital admissions is stalling due to inappropriate use and a lack of investment. The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) says Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) – also known as ambulatory emergency care – has the potential to…
Read MoreUrgent and emergency care is under unprecedented strain – SAM past president
Commenting on a report published today (15 November) by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives entitled ‘Delayed hospital handovers: Impact assessment of patient harm’, Dr Nick Scriven, past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Urgent and emergency care is under unprecedented strain and there is no hope of resolving the wider NHS system…
Read More‘This is a system really struggling in all aspects of acute care’ – SAM past president
Commenting on the release today (11 November) of the latest NHS performance data, Dr Nick Scriven, past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This is a system that is really struggling in all aspects of acute care despite everyone concerned doing their utmost; at times to the detriment of their own wellbeing. “It…
Read More‘Ambulance in a room proposal moving not tackling problems’ says SAM past president
Commenting on the announcement of a pilot of ambulance “arrival lounges” at emergency departments, Dr Susan Crossland, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Following the announcement this week effectively forbidding ambulance handover delays by hospitals comes the launch of airport-style ‘arrival lounges’ in A&Es, with neither offering realistic solutions to the current…
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