Hundreds of Croydon patients forced to wait more than 12 hours at A&E
By Tara O”Connor, Local Democracy Reporter
Hundreds of patients had to wait more than 12 hours for a bed at Croydon University Hospital, the latest NHS figures have revealed.
In October, a total of 16,844 people attended A&Es run by the Croydon NHS trust. Out of this number, 1,131 were actually admitted to hospital.
The majority of those admitted, 828, had to wait more than four hours for a bed, while 470 patients had to wait more than 12 hours after staff decided they needed to see a doctor.
In October, 72 per cent of patients at the hospital were dealt with in four hours or less. The NHS target is for 95 per cent of patients at A&E to be admitted, transferred or discharged in this time frame.
Across the country NHS staff faced the busiest October ever for A&E attendances and most serious ambulance call-outs. More than 2.17 million patients turned up to emergency departments around England.
Last week, the NHS launched a national campaign encouraging people to call 111 for urgent help on a wide range of health problems. It estimates up to two-fifths of A&E attendances are avoidable or could be better treated elsewhere.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “Last month our hard-working staff contended with another record month of A&E attendances and the most serious ambulance call-outs, which is only the tip of the iceberg of the growing pressures that the NHS is facing this winter, including the threat of a ‘twindemic’ of covid and flu, and reduced hospital capacity caused by issues discharging patients into social care.
“This new campaign will remind the public that NHS 111 online is available to signpost people to the best option for their care needs ahead of winter -it can provide the most appropriate local treatment option for medical issues quickly without needing to leave your home and saving you an unnecessary trip to A&E.”
Croydon Health Services NHS trust was contacted for comment.
Pictured top: The emergency department at Croydon University Hospital (Picture: Croydon Health Services Trust)
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