The NHS Performance Summary shows that the A&E waiting times in the NHS are now at their worst level since the 4-hour target came about in the year 2004. The study showed that only 84.4% of patients were treated in the four hours and this is well below the set target they have of 95%. This is all down to the shortage of staff, and those who work in nursing recruitment or even as part of a nurse agency will understand this more than anyone. The Director of the NHS England has come out to say that if you speak with anyone who works at the coalface then they will tell you that it is actually the patients who are suffering as a result of this. They are the ones who are paying the price, and this is not fair at all. No nurse wants to leave their patient on a trolley or even in the corridor for hours on end. They also don’t want to leave them sitting around just because they have no bed to give them either, and this is a drastic situation to say the least. The NHS is chronically underfunded to say the least and nowadays social care is pushing more and more people to the accident and emergency sector. Too many others come simply because they can’t get in to see a GP in their local area.

This situation is dangerous and the figures today really do need to act as a wakeup call because the health secretary and those who work in the care system cannot continue like this. If nothing is done, then this situation could get even worse and this is the last thing that anyone needs right now.