Have a question?
033 3772 0409

Personal Injury Solicitors

A&E services in crisis due to unprecedented demand (6 January 2015)

Date: 06/01/2015
Duncan Lewis, Personal Injury Solicitors, A&E services in crisis due to unprecedented demand

A&E services at local hospitals across the country are reporting exceptional levels of patient demand – with two hospitals declaring major incidents in A&E because of the number of patients attending departments after the New Year.

The Gloucester Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals in west Gloucestershire are both struggling to cope with patient numbers and have declared major incidents, with A&E patients waiting long periods of time to see a doctor.

NHS targets state that patients must be seen and discharged within four hours, with most trusts required to see between 95% and 98% of A&E cases within the four-hour target period before they are either admitted, referred to a consultant or discharged from A&E.

However, it is reported that even patients arriving by ambulance are waiting for up to six hours to be seen by a doctor at some A&E units – while other patients have arrived at A&E by ambulance to find no beds available.

In Barking, the Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust declared “a significant internal event” on 28 December because of high levels of patients arriving at A&E. A significant internal event is one stage below a major incident.

Elsewhere in southeast England and the London area, Croydon University Hospital has put in place business continuity plans to ensure A&E services operate efficiently at a “very busy” time – and London Northwest Healthcare Trust is on “black alert” because of the number of patients using A&E at Northwick Park Hospital.

Recent pressures on A&E services have been attributed variously to problems with NHS patients not being able to see their GP quickly, more elderly people using A&E instead of their GP, more mental health patients going to A&E when local mental health services have been cut back under budget restrictions – as well as A&E doctors calling for police to arrest more drunks rather than people who are inebriated ending up in A&E.

Other controversies surrounding A&E include health tourism – and also the growing population in some areas, with GP surgeries overwhelmed by new patients because of housing developments built near established surgeries.

A&E is usually a busy time at New Year – but as yet it has not emerged why A&E departments have this year been placed under such extraordinary pressure.

However, the chief economist at health think tank The King’s Fund, John Appleby, has said that – without extra funding to plug an £8b billion deficit in the NHS budget, the NHS will struggle to provide the service which patients expect.

At the same time as many A&E departments in London are struggling to cope with emergency cases, the London Air Ambulance will also be out of action for most of January as it has its annual service, which takes three weeks.

The London Air Ambulance is based at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London and operates all over the capital – often attending road accidents, cycle accidents and stabbings.

There are now calls for a second air ambulance to be added to the service to provide continuity in cover when one helicopter is being serviced.

Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors – No win no fee A&E Claims

Duncan Lewis clinical negligence solicitors can advise patients who have suffered further illness or injury as a result of failings in NHS accident and emergency services on how to make no win no fee claims for compensation, including claims relating to:


• Claims against an ambulance trust
• Claims against paramedics
• Claims against an A&E hospital trust.

Clinical negligence claimants have three years from the date of injury in which to make a no win no fee A&E Claim – and children can claim for failings in A&E services up to the age of 21.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Accident and Emergency Claims, call Duncan Lewis clinical negligence solicitors on 020 7923 4020.


For all Personal Injury related matter contact us now.Contact Us

Call us now on 033 3772 0409 or click here to send online enquiry.
Duncan Lewis is the trading name of Duncan Lewis (Solicitors) Limited. Registered Office is 143-149 Fenchurch St, London, EC3M 6BL. Company Reg. No. 3718422. VAT Reg. No. 718729013. A list of the company's Directors is displayed at the registered offices address. Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority . Offices all across London and in major cities in the UK. ©Duncan Lewis >>Legal Disclaimer, Copyright & Privacy Policy. Duncan Lewis do not accept service by email.