Dr John Dean, clinical vice president of the Royal College of Physicians, has responded to the latest NHSE performance data.
'One year on from the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan, the latest performance figures show that the healthcare service is still facing unsustainable year-round demands, and unacceptable delays for patients. March 2024 saw a record 2.35 million attendances to emergency departments (EDs), a 13% increase compared to only the month before, and nearly 43000 patients waiting over 12 hours to be admitted to hospital. We know many wait considerably longer. Recent data from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine estimates almost 300 excess deaths likely occurred each week in 2023 associated with long waits in EDs. Patients should never come to this kind of harm because they are waiting for a hospital bed.
'We know that delays in EDs are a symptom of the number of inpatients and how long they stay in hospital. There remain considerable delays in people going home when they are ready to do so, with more than 1 in 10 staying and average of 6 extra days.
'The government announced this week that 160 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are now open across England. While we are pleased to see this expansion, currently only 8.7% of all diagnostic tests are being carried out in these centres. Diagnosis is more than just receiving a scan or test, so it is vital that CDCs are integrated well into the care pathway.
'Despite pressures across the system, our members continue to do their utmost to provide the best quality care to their patients, even if they are waiting in corridors for admission, or have been waiting too long for a clinic visit. It is vital that staff feel supported and valued – the challenges they face are significant. We hope that the new waiting list data, providing a more detailed understanding of people on waiting lists will help target interventions in the areas where they are most needed.'