More than 1,500 people left A&E departments in the West Midlands without even being treated in just one month, new figures reveal.
Data published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre shows almost 80,000 people visited hospital A&Es across the region in August 2013.
But 1,531 people left without medical attention, either because they didn’t actually need treatment – or got tired of waiting.
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Emergency departments are under enormous pressure, and medical staff fear many patients who don’t need urgent care are clogging up the system, causing it to become overwhelmed, and increasing delays.
The figures for August revealed that the worst hospital in the region for A&E waiting time was Russells Hall in Dudley, where patients spent an average two and a half hours.
People using the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust had to wait around 65 minutes before receiving any treatment.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust performed the best with the average patient waiting 30 minutes to be treated, and an average of 77 minutes in casualty overall.
Paul Clark, chief executive of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust said that the hospital’s emergency unit was coming under increasing pressure because of the rise in the elderly population.
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He said: “We are committed to ensuring patients who arrive at our A&E department are seen as quickly as possible.
“There are occasions during peak times that our patients have to wait longer than we would like to be seen; however, we ensure that we give priority to those patients who need urgent medical attention.
“The demand on our A&E is greater than ever due to our ageing population which means we are now seeing more poorly patients with more complex health needs.”
The Heart of England NHS Trust, which runs both Heartlands Hospital and Good Hope Hospital, saw the most visitors with 19,712 coming through the doors in the four week period this summer.
Dr Aidan MacNamara, clinical director for emergency medicine at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, has said: “We urge members of the public to help us by using our A&Es only for what they are intended – accidents needing urgent attention and emergencies. We do get people attending with minor problems when they should be using more suitable alternatives like local walk-in centres or their GP for advice.”
Patients at the trust could expect to be waiting an average of 57 minutes before being seen, and an average of approximately two hours and 20 minutes before leaving the department.
But Dr MacNamara reassured patients that the trust was taking a number of steps to prepare for winter, which experts previously warned could be ‘the worst winter yet’ for A&E departments.
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He said: “Our trust operates consultant led A&E departments and has made a number of changes in anticipation of a very busy winter. We have been working on a regular basis with all partners to minimise the expected impact of seasonal increases in demand.”
Earlier this month the NHS announced proposals to create a two-tier accident and emergency service, with specialist expertise in areas such as stroke and trauma concentrated in fewer hospitals.
The change, which is currently being considered, wouldn’t see any A&Es close, but ambulances carrying a patient suffering from serious problems, would, instead of going to the nearest hospital, be taken to one of the “major emergency centres”.
The NHS plan was unveiled by NHS England medical director Sir Bruce Keogh, who said it was necessary to rethink services because too many people turn up who do not need emergency care
Under the two-tier plan, of the current 140 A&E departments in England, 40 to 70 would become centres where the seriously sick and damaged are taken by ambulance for hi-tech treatment for heart attacks, stroke and trauma, bypassing other closer hospitals on the way.
The 70 to 100 remaining A&Es will become ordinary emergency centres, which will cope with problems requiring less specialised care.
Sir Bruce described the “intense, growing and unsustainable pressure” on A&Es, driven by increasing numbers of elderly people and confusion about NHS services that could help people outside hospital.
Midland A&E bosses are currently engaged in planning for the expected winter upsurge in patients. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said £250 million in additional funding will be spent on extra beds.