Patricia Marquis, Director of the Royal College of Nursing in England, responding to today's NHS Combined Performance Summary, said:
“Speak to anybody at the coalface and they will tell you that it’s patients who are paying the price for the lack of staff and overcrowding at A&Es. The number of patients being seen within the four hour target was at its lowest ever level in December with record numbers still unable to secure a bed once admitted. No nurse ever wants to leave patients on trolleys in corridors or waiting for hours in an armchair when there’s no bed. And it’s not just about beds, we also need the nurses to safely staff them.
“Chronic underfunding of social care pushes older people to A&E and too many others come when they can’t see a GP or get advice in the community. This situation is dangerous and today’s figures must act as a wake-up call for the Health Secretary and NHS England– the full health and care system cannot continue like this.”
Ends
Read more about the NHS Combined Performance Summary here
