The government reached agreement with National Health Service doctors and nurses on those cases where patients, for medical or safety reasons, might need to stay in an accident and emergency department for longer than the 4-hour limit (set as a maximum to be achieved by December 2004 for all A&E patients).
Source: Clinical Exceptions to the 4 Hour Emergency Care Target, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Link to agreement removed by DH | DH press release
Date: 2003-Dec
Research found the main difficulty described by patients trying to expedite their appointment at their local hospital was accessing the right person or department with the required information or, in some cases, getting through at all. Patients seeking to have their case expedited were more successful if they approached a family doctor than other health professionals. Patients who had already waited a long time to see a consultant were less likely to succeed in getting their overall waiting time for admission reduced by going to a different hospital, because they had to repeat the wait to see the new consultant in outpatients before joining the shorter queue for admission: this had implications for the operation of the government's 'choice and access' agenda.
Source: Marianne Rigge, How Hospital Waiting Lists Affect People s Lives: Analysis of National Waiting List Helpline user survey questionnaires, College of Health (020 8983 1225)
Links: No link
Date: 2003-Oct
The government began consultation on proposals to relax (on clinical grounds) the 4-hour maximum time between arrival and discharge for patients in hospital accident and emergency departments.
Source: Clinical Exceptions to the Four Hour Emergency Care Target, Department of Health (08701 555455) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Answers 17 September 2003, column 838W, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Hansard | Observer report
Date: 2003-Sep
Standards of cleanliness and food in National Health Service hospitals improved significantly between summer 2002 and summer 2003, with no hospitals given a 'red' rating for either food or cleanliness in 2003, according to independent inspection results. But opposition parties reportedly said the results were unreliable.
Source: Press release 13.8.03, Department of Health (020 7210 4850) | The Guardian, 14.8.03
Links: DH press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Aug
A committee of MPs examined four issues of particular concern relating to the provision of maternity services: the collection of data from maternity units, caesarean section rates, the staffing structure of maternity care teams, and the provision of training for health professionals who advise pregnant women and new mothers. The MPs said they remained concerned that some women undergoing caesarean section were exposed unnecessarily to the risks of surgery; and that, in many maternity units, midwifery and medical staffing levels did not allow adequate support.
Source: Provision of Maternity Services, Fourth Report (Session 2002-03), HC 464-I, House of Commons Health Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2003-Jun
A Northern Ireland survey report highlighted the important role of staff in hospital accident and emergency departments in detecting non-accidental injury and child abuse.
Source: Child Protection Is No Accident, Barnardo s (01268 520224) and National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Links: Barnardo's press release | NSPCC press release
Date: 2003-Jun
A survey found that although most hospitals met the government's target for a maximum 4-hour wait in accident and emergency departments during the monitoring period (week ended 31 March 2003), the numbers fell dramatically the following week. A third of the doctors surveyed did not believe that the figures the government published for their department were accurate. The majority of respondents felt that the measures taken to meet the target had distorted clinical priorities.
Source: BMA Survey of A&E Waiting Times, British Medical Association (020 7383 6244)
Links: Report (pdf) | BMA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
In the summer of 2002, 60 per cent of National Health Service hospitals were rated as achieving 'good' standards of cleanliness (compared to 44 per cent in autumn 2001). None was rated 'poor', compared to 35 per cent in 1999 before a campaign on the issue was initiated. In the winter of 2002-03, 17 per cent of hospitals were rated as offering 'good' quality food (compared to 15 per cent in autumn 2002): 2 per cent were rated as 'poor' (13 per cent).
Source: Press release 26.2.03, Department of Health (020 7210 4850)
Links: DH press release
Date: 2003-Feb
The head of the government's delivery unit on public services told MPs that the National Health Service might fail to meet the target for cutting waiting times in accident and emergency units to a maximum of four hours by 2004.
Source: Michael Barber (Chief Adviser, Prime Minister's Delivery Unit) in evidence to the House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, 27.2.03 | The Guardian, 28.2.03
Links: Guardian report | Uncorrected evidence
Date: 2003-Feb
The government said it had met targets for providing single-sex sleeping accommodation in hospitals, and for ensuring the safety of patients who are mentally ill. It said the target for providing separate washing and toilet facilities for men and women patients would be met by the end of March 2003.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 14.1.03, columns 23-24WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2003-Jan
A report said that accident and emergency department waiting times are falling for patients with minor illnesses and accidents, while critically ill patients still experience considerable delays.
Source: Accessing Emergency Care: Making it Happen, British Medical Association (020 7383 6244)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Jan
