Jeremy Hunt rows back on hints to ditch four-hour A&E target but says it should not be ‘followed slavishly’
The Health Secretary said that the suggestion that the Government would downgrade the target was "totally spurious" and that the target was "one of the best things the NHS does"
JEREMY Hunt has said that the Government will NOT be changing the four-hour target to see all patients in Accident and Emergency units to only cover those who need urgent care.
The Health Secretary told MPs today that NHS workers would stick to the target, but that they should not be "followed slavishly" if it damaged patients' care.
Mr Hunt said during an Opposition Day debate today that he supported the four-hour target, to see 95% of patients within the time frame.
He said that the idea that the Government would downgrade the target was a "totally spurious suggestion" and that the target was "one of the best things the NHS does".
He hit back at claims he was going to drop the four-hour target, and change it to only cover people who needed urgent care: "I did not say that, I didn't say it because we are not going to do it."
The Health Secretary argued that in the past there had been professionals who were "hitting the target but missing the point" and were cutting corners to avoid being fired for missing targets.
He went on: "We need to find different ways to offer treatment to people who need to be in A&E.
"This is hardly rocket science. People who can relieve pressure on A&Es... should do so. Whilst we retain targets, we will not allow them to be followed slavishly in a way that damages patients' care."
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