NHS waiting times on the increase

By Martin Lambert

The amount of time patients have to wait to be seen in NHS facilities is on the increase, according to a recent survey.

 Research by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) showed that 33 per cent of the respondents said that they were left waiting for over four hours in accident and emergency (A&E).

 This marked a significant rise from the 27 per cent figure which was cited in 2008 and 23 per cent in 2004 and the government has stated that no more than five per cent of patients should be left waiting for longer than four hours.

 David Behan, the chief executive of the CQC, said: "The important issue is that people who need to be treated urgently, do not have to wait, it is disappointing therefore that people have said they have to wait longer to be treated than four years ago."

 The health service is currently in the middle of a major savings drive from the government which aims to save £20 billion by 2015.

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