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Hospital Waits Skyrocket: 12-Hour Stays Double
14 Oct
Summary
- Emergency department waits exceeding 12 hours doubled since April.
- Scarborough hospital sees longer waits than York's facility.
- Staff shortages and patient discharge delays cause increased waiting times.
The proportion of patients enduring waits of 12 hours or more in emergency departments at York and Scarborough hospitals has more than doubled since April. NHS figures revealed that in August, 14.6% of A&E attendances at these trusts resulted in waits exceeding 12 hours, a significant increase from 5.9% in April.
A report from the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust highlighted that these extended waits were notably more pronounced in Scarborough compared to York. The primary reasons cited for the performance decline include a shortage of senior doctors, staff sickness, and delays in discharging patients who are medically fit to leave.
Specifically, the report indicated that "low numbers of senior decision makers and medics, particularly overnight," contribute to long waits at Scarborough. The trust is implementing measures such as a "coming off corridors" program and improvements to patient flow, alongside plans for additional medical staffing, to address these issues and enhance performance.
