National accolade for Barnsley Hospital as it tops A&E league table

Barnsley Hospital rose to the top of the national league table for its performance in dealing with accident and emergency patients within time limits set by the NHS.
By Paul Whitehouse
Published 14th Oct 2019, 20:07 BST
Updated 18th Oct 2019, 17:15 BST
Quick workers: Barnsley Hospital's A&E staff beat the rest of the country for patient waiting timesQuick workers: Barnsley Hospital's A&E staff beat the rest of the country for patient waiting times
Quick workers: Barnsley Hospital's A&E staff beat the rest of the country for patient waiting times

During September, the hospital met the notoriously difficult four hour deadline for seeing patients on 96.3 per cent of occasions, putting the hospital ahead of the 95 per cent threshold set out under health service rules and also making its performance for the month the best in the country.

Hospital staff have been told by Medical Director Simon Enright the result was “absolutely fantastic” during a team briefing presentation.

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However, the hospital has been able to offer no further information on how the success was achieved.

Hospitals nationally have struggled to meet the four hour deadline for seeing patients who present at A&E, due to rising demand and pressures on the hospital system.

Earlier this year, the NHS announced the four hour target may be replaced amid concerns it has become an outdated measure of success, but it has become one which hospitals have found increasingly challenging to meet.

When a review of the target was revealed earlier this year, alongside other proposed changes to waiting times for medical help, it was suggested a new formula could be introduced during 2020.

Related topics:NHS