Concern over pressure on A&E departments
The pressure on hospital casualty departments has not been eased by Government initiatives, MPs are warning.
A new report by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee finds that demand is still rising for accident and emergency treatment, in spite of NHS Direct and a growing number of walk-in clinics.
The committee says that while most hospitals are meeting the four-hour A&E wait target, many patients, particularly the elderly and vulnerable people, still had to wait too long for subsequent admission and treatment.
The MPs are also warning that “bottlenecks” in the wider hospital system are delaying the transfer from accident and emergency departments of patients who need to be admitted for further treatment.
Committee chairman Edward Leigh says: “The picture is less rosy than it seems. Shortages of specialist staff mean that key patient groups, such as older people and patients with mental health problems, are still waiting the longest.
“We must have fewer old fashioned practices, such as inefficient bed management and traditional staff schedules built around the convenience of consultants.”
But Health Minister Rosie Winterton insisted that patients found A&E was “better than ever”.
She added: “We have made huge progress. This transformation has been achieved thanks to the hard work and professionalism of thousands of front-line NHS staff – not just doctors, but nurses and the full range of NHS staff.”
