 The A&E is seeing on average 50 more people a day |
Managers at the South West's biggest hospital are blaming a failure to meet accident and emergency (A&E) targets on people using the department instead of seeing their GP. Statistics for August at Plymouth's Derriford Hospital show 88.6% of patients were seen in casualty within four hours.
Managers were hoping the A&E department would meet a 90% target for seeing patients within four hours.
The shortfall is being blamed on the number of people seeking treatment increasing, on average, by about 50 a day.
Staff say they believe that many patients seen had gone straight to Casualty rather than consulting their family doctor first.
But Paula Greenidge, director of nursing operations, said staff have addressed the issue and are improving services for patients.
She added that, during September, the trust achieved its target, and during the last weekend of the month managed to get every patient admitted or discharged within four hours.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
