Waiting times at A&E

WQ.366/2024

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES

BY DEPUTY M. TADIER OF ST. BRELADE

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 21st OCTOBER 2024

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 28th OCTOBER 2024

Question

"Will the Minister state whether Accident and Emergency waiting times are recorded and, if so, what are the average peak and off-peak waiting times; and will he advise whether there are any guidelines in place setting maximum waiting times and, if not, why not?"

Answer

Accident and Emergency attendances and waiting times are systematically recorded and monitored. The data are analysed monthly.

Waiting times are being recorded and monitored as

1. Time from Arrival to Triage
2. Time from Arrival to commencing Treatment

In addition, the total time a patient spends in ED is recorded (time from Arrival to Departure), this includes the time a patient is being treated in ED. This indicator is reported publicly in the Quality & Performance Report on gov.je.

Table 1 shows the median time from Arrival to Triage and Arrival to commencing Treatment. Also shown in Table 1 are the mean and median times that patients spent in the Emergency Department (from Arrival to Departure) over the last 13 months. In 2024 to date (January to September) the mean time in ED has been 204 minutes.

Table 2 provides an analysis by time of arrival, showing 12 months of data from October 2023 to September 2024.

Figure 1 is produced using September 2024 data and shows, for an average weekday or weekend in September, the total ED attendances and Average time grouped by Arrival time (in 3-hour blocks).

Emergency Department attendances, and consequently wait times, fluctuate on a seasonal, and daily basis. As a result, during certain times, patients may experience longer waits. In the UK, there are no guidelines setting a maximum waiting time, as this will depend on several factors including how many patients are being seen and treated as well as the severity of their condition, and the availability of beds if the patient needs admission to the hospital. HCS monitors its performance using the Total time spent in ED' against both a 4 and 12 hour waiting time standard for patients in ED. These are key metrics in place in the UK and

therefore allows us to benchmark the performance of our services.

All statistics produced by HCS are dependent on accurate data entry by clinical and administrative staff. Treating patients is prioritised over data entry and therefore HCS is aware that the data may reflect a longer than actual wait, particularly at very busy times.

Table 1: Summary of Emergency Department Attendances and Waiting Times, September 2023 – September 2024

Data Source: Hospital Patient Administration System, (Maxims, Report ED001DM)

Table 2: Analysis by Time of Arrival in ED - 12 months data, October 2023-September 2024

Data Source: Hospital Patient Administration System, (Maxims, Report ED001DM)

Figure 1: Emergency Department – Average Attendances per day and Average Time in Department, by Arrival Time, September 2024

Data Source: Hospital Patient Administration System, (Maxims, Report ED001DM)