Accident and Emergency Departments: Standards

(asked on 4th January 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the A&E four hour waiting target to be met 95% of the time.


Answered by
Stephen Hammond Portrait
Stephen Hammond
This question was answered on 10th January 2019

The Government’s Mandate to NHS England for 2018-19 sets out the timetable for the accident and emergency (A&E) waiting time standard to be improved.

2018/19 year to date figures to November 2018, show that 89.3% of patients were seen within four hours at A&E departments. The data is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2018-19/

The NHS Long Term Plan published on 7 January 2019 ensures that work will continue to reduce pressure on emergency hospital services, by expanding and reforming urgent and emergency care with the goal of ensuring patients get the care they need quickly whilst relieving the pressure on A&E departments.

The Government has provided £1.6 billion to further support the National Health Service this year, allowing it to treat even more patients in A&E. In addition, £420million to redevelop A&Es, improve emergency care and help get patients home quicker has been provided in advance of the winter period.

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