A&E wait times a ‘crude’ measure’

ACCIDENT and emergency waiting time statistics are “too crude a measure” to determine the quality of a hospital’s services, according to Healthwatch Oldham.

The body, an independent champion for local residents on all health-related issues, believes patient experience should also be included in ratings.

New figures show only 91.8 per cent of patients were seen within four hours in the three months to March.

Pennine Acute, which runs A&E departments at the Royal Oldham, North Manchester and Fairfield hospitals and an urgent care centre at Rochdale Infirmary, failed to meet the 95-per-cent Government target, reaching only 92.2 per cent.

Peter Denton, Healthwatch Oldham manager, said: “Waiting time targets are only one measure. We think patients should also get the following things, not so easily measured: effective communication between staff and patients, high quality care and advice about other available services if A&E isn’t appropriate. The four-hour target is a crude measure that doesn’t truly reflect the quality of a service.”