Warnings about the ‘national scandal’ of poor care in A&E cannot go unheeded

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) said long A&E waits are a “national scandal” which are causing “entirely preventable” deaths.

This is a reminder that these are not just figures on a spreadsheet but the very real lives of ordinary people, who are often in a vulnerable position.

As is often the case, it is the elderly who are facing the brunt of the risk.

Many face long waits for a bed once a decision has been taken to admit them to hospital. It highlights the acute need for reform of social care in this country.

Without action on social care, any attempts at improving care in hospitals are only going to have a limited impact, as hospital beds that could be freed up will still be occupied by those for whom adequate care in the community has not been found.

That makes the lack of a bold vision on social care in the Tory and Labour manifestos very disappointing.

The RCEM also rounded on the parties for a lack of specific policies aimed at tackling the crisis enveloping emergency departments across the country’s hospitals.

This crisis can’t be blamed on the pandemic either, as the national target for 95 per cent of people who go to A&E to be admitted, transferred or sent home within four hours, has not been met since July 2015.