Hospital trust issues public apology for A&E waiting times

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has issued a public apology after announcing new steps to tackle the ‘unprecedented’ situation, which has seen some A&E patients waiting on trolleys in corridors for hours.

The trust has launched emergency measures to reduce patient admissions at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital because of an 'escalating beds crisis'.

Senior staff have held urgent meetings about bed shortages Credit: BPM

Patients reportedly being kept on trolleys instead of in ward beds is becoming 'commonplace', while others are routinely in A&E for more than eight hours - and on occasions as long as 24 hours.

The Trust has opened a new ward in a bid to improve the situation, but it is claimed pressure is continuing to mount.

A message has been sent to staff by chief executive Chris Tidman, titled ‘Emergency pressures - update’. It outlines measures to reduce admissions and speed up ward discharges, including having a clinician to assess every admission request and providing additional transport to take patients home.

Part of the message read:

Senior staff have held urgent meetings about bed shortages Credit: BPM

Chris Tidman said: