Four-hour accident and emergency waits rise 296%

Royal Oldham Hospital Accident and Emergency Department

Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust has experienced the biggest rise in patients waiting more than four hours at Accident & Emergency across England.

In 2013-2014, 13,867 people were not dealt with in four hours at Pennine Acute hospitals. In 2015-2016, that number rose 296% to 54,945.

The Trust has Accident & Emergency departments at the Royal Oldham Hospital, Fairfield Hospital in Bury, and North Manchester General.

Professor Matt Makin, the Trust's medical director, said: "Like most trusts across the country, we are finding this a challenge due to the flow of patients in and out of hospitals and the large numbers of admissions of patients, particularly those who are elderly and with complex and chronic health conditions.

"We are sorry that some patients have to wait longer than we would like to be seen by a doctor and also those who are waiting to be admitted and taken to the ward."