In response to NHS England’s monthly performance statistics, Nick Ville, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation said: “The NHS is seeing ever-increasing numbers of patients in A&E and is buckling under the strain.
Despite the best efforts of frontline staff, the number of patients in England treated within target times at A&E reached significant lows.
Yet we should recognise that this is still an achievement for staff, despite us not meeting the target.
We need to find a more sustainable way of providing care to an increasingly aging population with ever-more complex needs.
The new NHS Long Term Plan, with its emphasis on joined-up community care, is good news for patients, who should see some of this intense pressure ease if the plan is implemented well.”
