Wednesday, January 17, 2007

A&E success 'not sustainable'


A&E departments are struggling to sustain improvements to waiting times because of NHS deficits, doctors leaders warn.

Almost 90% of doctors told the British Medical Association that the lack of inpatient beds was the main reason for not meeting government targets.
They also blamed staff shortages and patients turning up at A&E inappropriately with minor complaints.

Since 2004, 98% of patients in A&E should be seen within four hours.

Around 500 members of the British Association of Emergency Medicine responded to the BMA survey to investigate the impact of the four-hour target, which has been heralded as a success story by the government.