Hospitals run by the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) are among the worst in the country for A&E waiting times, new figures have revealed.
Research conducted by the BBC shows that the percentage of patients seen at these hospitals within four hours was at 75.1%, making United Lincolnshire Hospitals the fourth worst in the country.
Simon Evans, Director of Operations at ULHT, said: “Like many NHS trusts we have been under extreme pressure this winter with lots of very sick people visiting our A&Es and being admitted to our hospitals.”
“This also coincided with the extreme weather conditions during (March) which prevented us from getting patients home which caused delays in admitting patients from our emergency departments,” Mr Evans said.
The figures from ULHT combined with hospitals across the country show that the NHS in England recorded its worst year for A&E waiting times last year since records began, at 88.4%.
This falls below the 95% figure that hospitals are expected to achieve.
Mr Evans continued: “As part of our winter plan we have employed more doctors and nurses to help us cope, we have seven day therapy services to get patients home sooner and we scheduled fewer planned operations.”
“But the demand and weather conditions have impacted on our March A&E performance.”
The news comes amid a health crisis in Lincoln including the recent closure of the walk-in centre which the President of the University of Lincoln Students’ Union, Kudzai Muzangaza, said was an “extreme disappointment”.
It is hoped that the recently announced medical school in Lincoln will help improve the situation through an increase in the number of trained doctors and nurses in Lincoln.
Mr Evans said: “I would like thank our staff for all of their hard work and ask for the community’s support.”
If people come to A&E and it is not an emergency they will have a long wait as we will prioritise the sickest patients.”
Figures for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have not yet been published.