University Hospital North Staffordshire fails A&E targets

UHNS said its A&E had treated an extra 10,000 patients year-on-year

University Hospital North Staffordshire (UHNS) has said it is struggling to meet Accident and Emergency (A&E) waiting time targets.

According to government guidelines 95% of patients are expected to be seen within four hours.

Over the last financial year, 90% of its emergency patients were treated within that time, dropping to just 81% last month.

The hospital said it had faced a "sustained" increase in demand.

Over the last year, the hospital said it had treated an extra 10,000 patients in A&E, a rise of 10% on 2011-12. It said the rise had also increased pressure on inpatient wards.

To help deal with the demand, chief operating officer Vanessa Gardener said the hospital had opened an extra 100 beds.