Cuts … not just Brexit

Just weeks ago, as the general election campaign started to pick up speed, NHS England released some interesting data: accident and emergency waiting times were the worst on record. It didn’t get that much traction in a media concentrating on the run-up to the political theatre of the first party leaders’ debate. But as fullfact.org spelled out: “In October 2019, 83.6% of patients attending all types of A&E departments (including things like dental A&E and urgent care centres) in England were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.” A year ago, 89.1% were seen within the four-hour target. Over the summer, that fell to an average of 86% – making it the worst summer since 2004. And now it fallen again. That’s quite a drop in the past 12 months. Monthly figures only started being recorded in 2010. But before that, there are quarterly figures, which show that 95% of patients were seen within four hours in every three-month period between July 2004 and the end of 2012. The target was originally for 98% of A&E patients to be seen in that time. One of the first acts of the new government in June 2010 was to cut that to 95%. Now it can’t even meet that. That’s just one statistic. In just one public service. But it is reflected across the health service and public services in general. In the final days before the election, it highlights the state of the key services our members work in and our families rely on.   This government, and the...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: P.S data activists ge19 general election 2019 Source Type: news