NHS is in crisis all year round: A&E targets missed as hospitals are now facing winter pressures in summer

October 13, 2016

NHS England data show key targets were missed in hospitals in August
1,931,981 attendances at AE in August 2016 – an increase of 3.6%
Bed blocking levels highest since records began with 188,340 days lost

Kate Pickles For Mailonline

Published:
05:48 EST, 13 October 2016

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Updated:
05:53 EST, 13 October 2016

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The crisis facing the NHS has been laid bare with waiting times at AE units over the summer surpassing most winters, new figures show.

Key measures were also not met for ambulance response times, referral times for treatment or cancer services, according to the latest data from NHS England.

Pressures on the nation’s hospitals have seen the number of patients attending emergency departments increase to nearly two million in August alone.

The number of people visiting our accident and emergency departments has grown by 3.6 per cent over the same period last year, figures have shown

Today’s figures show how hospitals are struggling to cope with demand in the traditionally quieter months of the year – failing to treat one in 10 patients within the four-hour guidelines.

Between June and August, only 90.6 per cent of patients were treated within the time frame, with only last winter faring worse against the 95 per cent standard.

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Record numbers of patients are also stuck in hospital beds because care has not been set up for them at home.

Rising demand has been blamed with 1,931,981 attendances at AE in August 2016, up 3.6 per cent on the same period last year.

Waiting times at AE units over the summer have surpassed most winters, new figures show

The performance breakdown for August showed;

There were 188,340 delayed days in August 2016, compared to 145,093 in August 2015
Attendances over the latest 12 months have increased by 4.2 per cent on the same period last year
The 62-day wait for cancer treatment from GP referral was hit for just 82.8 per cent of patients, against a target of 85 per cent