Nearly 3,000 Dudley patients left waiting for more than FOUR HOURS before being seen at A&E

Just 64 per cent of patients at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley were seen within four hours in January – way down on the national 95 per cent NHS target.

Board papers state that out of 8,410 patients that were admitted to the department 2,961 were not seen within the time period.

Bosses say the ‘significant drop in performance’ at the hospital in Pensnett Road comes amid their emergency department being ‘extremely busy’.

Committed

Diane Wake, chief executive The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The emergency access standard – 95 per cent of patients to be seen, treated, admitted or discharged within four hours – is not a measure of individuals or teams but one of the whole health and care system.

“We have had a variable performance towards this standard, as have many trusts across the country, and the challenge to meet this standard is not unique to Dudley.

“Our Emergency Department is extremely busy at the moment and we urge patients who do not have a serious or life threatening condition to use alternative health services.

“We will always see patients in order of clinical need and patients with minor injuries or ailments may have longer waits.

“Our staff are absolutely committed to providing the safest possible care to all of our patients and I wish to thank them for working incredibly hard in the most intense circumstances.”

The latest figures for Russells Hall mark a big drop from missed targets last year – when 80 per cent of patients were seen within four hours in August, 82 per cent in July and 90 per cent in June.

Bosses warned in the summer that a ‘looming winter care crisis’ at Russells Hall Hospital was expected.

Board papers add: “The combined Trust and UCC performance was below target in month at 78.93 per cent.

“Whilst, the Trust only (Type 1) performance was 64.79 per cent.

“Both a significant drop in performance from the previous month.”