Hospital Trust that breached A&E waiting limits more than 10 times now facing fine

A crisis-hit hospital trust breached A&E waiting time limits more than 10 times during a weekend ‘meltdown’ and is now facing government fines.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust bosses issued a Facebook alert on Saturday night urging the public to avoid attending the ‘extremely busy’ departments.

It is understood there were more than ten breaches of government waiting time limits at both Alexandra Hospital’s A&E department in Redditch and at Worcester Royal.

The breaches were for not ensuring all A&E patients were seen within four hours and that no patient was left on a trolley beyond 12 hours.

WAHT has now apologised to affected patients, yet faces an NHS fine for each breach.

The Trust issued the A&E alert on its Facebook site at 7.41pm on Saturday, stating: “A&E departments across Worcestershire are extremely busy! For alternative services visit: isaandeforme.com”

The breaches came just days after it was revealed A&E waiting times at the Trust had fallen below government targets in July.

Just 85 per cent of patients were seen and treated within four hours, missing the national 95 per cent target set by the Department of Health.

The maximum four-hour wait is a standard contractual requirement for all NHS hospitals and a key performance indicator, with Trusts facing £120 fines for each breach.

In addition, NHS England added a contractual requirement that no A&E patient should wait more than 12 hours on a trolley.