The number of patients having to wait more than 12 hours at an A&E unit has risen dramatically compared to a year ago.
4,069 patients waited more than 12 hours in January, compared to 3,290 in the same month in 2016 – a rise of 23.6%.
Meanwhile, just 79% of patients were seen within the Welsh Government’s 4 hour target period.
Commenting, Shadow Health Secretary, Angela Burns, said:
“These figures are extremely disappointing and highlight the serious challenges faced by the Welsh NHS under Labour’s mismanagement.
“It is especially frustrating to see such a marked increase in the number of people waiting longer than 12 hours for treatment in a Welsh A&E department.
“There are a number of factors which have contributed to this rise – too few hospital beds, difficulties accessing GP appointments, and of course, the closure of local minor injury units.
“Sadly, the people paying the price for this failure are patients and dedicated NHS staff.”
Statistics
Accident and Emergency
Time Spent in NHS Wales Accident and Emergency Departments: Monthly Management Information
Summary management information on the percentage of patients spending less than 4, 8 and 12 hours in all NHS Wales hospital emergency care facilities (major A&E departments and other A&E/Minor Injury Units) from arrival until admission, transfer or discharge. These figures are derived from the monthly Emergency Department Dataset (EDDS) submitted to NHS Wales Informatics Service by Local Health Boards (LHBs).
This information is classified as management information as it has not gone through the additional statistical validation or interrogation that is normally the case for the official statistics outputs.
The Emergency Department Dataset
The EDDS was implemented from April 2009 to capture attendances at major A&E departments. Attendances at other A&E/Minor Injury Units were captured in Situation Reporting Services (SITREPS) prior to April 2012, however, from April 2012 LHBs have been required to submit EDDS for patients attending all hospital emergency care facilities.
In May 2013, the Welsh Government introduced the NHS Wales Delivery Framework for 2013-14.
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/health/publications/health/strategies/framework/?lang=en
The targets relating to time spent in all hospital emergency care facilities are:
95 per cent of patients should spend less than 4 hours in all emergency care facilities from arrival until admission, transfer or discharge; and
Eradication of 12 hour or more waits within all hospital emergency care facilities
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