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Royal Free London misses target for A&E arrivals to be seen within four hours

There were 26,792 visits to A&E to the main hospital trust serving Barnet in October and 75% were seen within four hours reports Sonja Tutty, Data Reporter

A hospital entrance sign with the focus on the Accident and Emergency department
73% of patients in England were seen within four hours in A&Es last month – (Credit – Radar)

Nearly three-quarters of patients who arrived at accident and emergency at the main hospital trust serving Barnet were seen within four hours, new figures show.

The NHS standard is for 95% of patients to be seen within four hours. However, as part of a recovery plan, the health service aims for 78% of patients to be seen within this time frame by March 2025.

Recent NHS England figures show there were 26,792 visits to A&E at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in October. Of them, 19,996 were seen within four hours – accounting for 75% of arrivals.

Some 73% of patients in England were seen within four hours in A&Es last month, down from 74% in September.

Figures also show 49,592 emergency admissions waited more than 12 hours in A&E departments from a decision to admit to actually being admitted – the third highest monthly figure since comparable records began in 2010.

The number waiting at least four hours from the decision to admit to admission also rose, standing at 148,789 in October.

At Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, 1,951 patients waited longer than four hours, including 835 who were delayed by more than 12 hours.

Siva Anandaciva, chief analyst at health think tank The King’s Fund, said “The figures show that NHS performance issues are endemic across the country and deep-rooted, with many key targets having been missed for years.”

He added: “Only 73% of people are seen within four hours in A&E compared to the NHS standard of 95% – a target not met in over eight years – and a target missed by every hospital trust running a major A&E department in England.”

It comes as Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting announced plans to publish a league table of the best and worst performing hospitals, based on how long patients have to wait for A&E treatment, surgery and other care, and the state of the trust’s finances.

Mr Anandaciva said transparency is a good aim, but warned the league table alone will not lead to “better and faster care” this winter

He added: “We know that what happens outside of hospitals can create the pressures we see inside hospitals.

“Shifting more care into the community, reforming social care, and bolstering prevention, will all be key to making our healthcare service fit for the future.”

Nuffield Trust deputy director of research Sarah Scobie said: “Today’s figures offer fresh insight into just how pressured things are in the health service as it braces itself for another tough winter.

“The next few months look to be particularly demanding in urgent care as familiar winter pressures rear their head again.”

About 2.4 million people attended A&E departments across England last month – the busiest October on record.

The overall number of attendances to A&E at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in October was a rise of 7% on the 24,951 visits recorded during September, and 4% more than the 25,745 patients seen in October 2023.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said the NHS is going into winter “under more pressure and busier than ever before”.

He added: “While we continue to treat record numbers and deal with record demand, it is clear that there is still much further to go to return performance to the levels patients should expect and we will continue to work with Government on the 10 Year Health Plan to address the needs of patients.”


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