Jeremy Hunt finally brands NHS ‘unacceptable’ as shocking figures reveal 40% of A&Es are unsafe for patients
Health Secretary promised action to prevent a repeat of the 'extremely distressing' failings
FOUR in ten hospitals are so busy they are unsafe.
The figure emerged yesterday as the winter crisis in the NHS was finally branded “unacceptable” by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
He promised action to prevent a repeat of the “extremely distressing” failings.
Forty per cent of hospitals are leaving at least a quarter of their A&E patients untreated for more than four hours, according to casualty medics.
Dr Adrian Boyle, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, warned it means more will die.
He said: “There is an increased mortality in people who spend a long time in emergency departments. Crowding kills patients.”
The Royal College of Nursing said patients still sick were being sent home to free up beds.
One nurse told of A&E waits of 23 hours and a 99-year-old being left on a trolley.
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The number stuck in casualty for at least half a day has quadrupled compared to four years ago, according to NHS Digital.
More black alerts — major internal incidents — have been declared by beleaguered hospitals in Portsmouth and Leicester.
And Dr Mark Holland, of the Society for Acute Medicine said: “This is a blizzard in an eternal winter of the NHS.”
Last week two patients died after marathon waits.
Mr Hunt was forced to admit to “very serious problems over Christmas”.
But Theresa May has vetoed an emergency cash injection.
The PM insisted the current winter crisis was “not unusual”.