Over the last year the NHS has continued to deliver the fastest ever access to A&E treatment, figures released from the UK Department of Health show.
For the year up to March 2007, 98.2 per cent of the 18.9 million people who attended England’s A&E departments were seen, diagnosed and treated within four hours of arriving at A&E departments.
Health Minister Andy Burnham said:
“Today’s A&E statistics only highlights the progress the NHS continues to make in improving patient care. NHS staff should be congratulated for their success in delivering fast access to care in A&E departments.”
“Ten years ago, elderly and vulnerable people had to wait for hours on trolleys. Now, almost all patients are seen, diagnosed and treated within four hours.
“The success story of timely care provided in A&E departments shows how investment and reform, along with the hard work of NHS staff, has transformed the service provided to patients.”
“These stats come in a week when we’ve seen patients give their verdict on the state of the NHS with nine out of ten rating their care as excellent or good. Too often we hear the myths about the state of the NHS from its critics but the figures out this week show an NHS transformed from ten years ago and that is a significant achievement.”