Hospital patients continue to face “significant” waits

HOSPITAL bosses have revealed pressure on services at Rotherham Hospital eased during December - after a record busy month in November - but A&E patients still faced “significant” waits during a “very busy month”.

The Advertiser reported last week how the hospital had seen a record number of ambulance handover “black breaches” – waits of more than an hour - and patients spending longer than 12 hours in A&E at Rotherham Hospital last November last year.

The hospital said the intense pressure on services continued into December, with an increase in Covid patients and high staff absence levels, but the strain on ambulance services had reduced.

The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust said they had also been facing some of the “longest waits nationally”, with staff becoming “overwhelmed” by high patient numbers and the “phenomenal workload”.

The full figures for December 2021 will not be published until next month but a spokesperson said the hospital had been busy again, with “significant” waits.

“December was also a very busy month, with an increase in Covid patients and high staff absence.

“Although we did see a reduction in ambulance handover waits, we still saw significant overall wait times.

“We have also experienced high numbers of patients awaiting social care staying in the hospital for three weeks or more.”

The spokesperson said that the wait time recorded was the “total time spent in the department, including any assessment, treatment or referrals”, adding: “The wait time is recorded from when the patient books into the department and ceases once the patient has left the UECC (urgent and emergency care centre).

“Any treatment by the UECC team or waits for referrals are included in the wait time.

“Every patient is logged, and times are recorded, along with any reasons for delays.”