Scrapping the 4-hour target would lead to “endless hours of waiting in A&E departments”

In December, only 86.4% of patients were seen within the target.

Scrapping the four-hour target would lead to “near catastrophic impact on patient safety” and “endless hours of waiting in A&E departments”.

The Chief Executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, confirmed during yesterday’s Health and Social Care Committee meeting that the hospital target of admitting, treating or discharging all A&E patients within four-hours is to be significantly altered.

Altering the target for 95% of patients to be seen at A&E within four hours will mean that patients with less-serious illness or injuries could be forced to wait longer. Clinical staff say they are worried this may cause patients to ‘slip through the gaps’.

Full story on Nursing Notes, 29 January 2019