Template press release on new figures showing the number of people waiting more than 12 hours in A&E. This template is for use in England only.
You can adapt it for your local area using these figures which are broken down by both Integrated Care Board area and NHS Trust. Please choose whichever is most appropriate for your area.
[TEMPLATE]: National Insurance Bombshell
Dear all,
Please see below a template press release on new figures showing the number of people waiting more than 12 hours in A&E. This template is for use in England only.
You can adapt it for your local area using the figures here, which are broken down by both Integrated Care Board area and NHS Trust. Please choose whichever is most appropriate for your area.
[INSERT FIGURE – COLUMN E] patients face 12-hour A&E waits in [AREA]
[INSERT FIGURE – COLUMN E] patients waited more than 12 hours in A&E in February, shocking new figures have revealed.
The statistics, released for the first time this week by NHS England, show the number of people who waited more than 12 hours from arriving at A&E to being admitted, transferred or discharged.
They show that [INSERT FIGURE – COLUMN F]% of patients in [AREA] waited over 12 hours at A&E in February.
These long A&E waits can have serious consequences for patients. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned that “evidence shows delays to care and long waits to admission to hospital increase a patient’s risk of harm and death”, even after they leave A&E.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a rescue plan for local health services, including recruiting more GPs and bringing in a Carer’s Minimum Wage to tackle staff shortages in social care. This would help reduce pressure on overstretched hospitals and ambulance services.
Responding to the figures, Liberal Democrat [INSERT SPOKESPERSON] said:
“These figures lay bare the appalling extent of long A&E delays in [AREA]. Far too many people are having to wait 12 hours or more to be treated, which we know can have devastating consequences.
“The Conservative government has let the NHS crisis spiral out of control. They are letting patients in our community down badly, leaving them waiting in pain for the treatment they need.
“The Liberal Democrats are calling for an urgent rescue plan for our local health services. If patients could see their GP when they need to or get the care they need at home, it would free up hospital resources to treat people far more quickly.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor
see the full data broken down by NHS trust and Integrated Care Boards. Original source: NHS England