Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
The four-hour A&E waiting time target should be downgraded as it is distorting priorities, experts say.
The call by the Nuffield Trust comes as one of the most difficult winters for years is coming to an end with all four parts of the UK missing the target.
The think tank said the "fixation" meant other bottlenecks, such as ambulance delays and waits for beds, were not getting enough attention.
It said using a range of measures would give a more "balanced" picture.
The Nuffield Trust suggested long waits for beds - known as trolley waits - ambulance delays, the numbers leaving A&E without being seen and patient satisfaction surveys could also be used to assess performance.
It said waiting times for treatments would still be measured as part of this more comprehensive monitoring regime.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31738750
The call by the Nuffield Trust comes as one of the most difficult winters for years is coming to an end with all four parts of the UK missing the target.
The think tank said the "fixation" meant other bottlenecks, such as ambulance delays and waits for beds, were not getting enough attention.
It said using a range of measures would give a more "balanced" picture.
The Nuffield Trust suggested long waits for beds - known as trolley waits - ambulance delays, the numbers leaving A&E without being seen and patient satisfaction surveys could also be used to assess performance.
It said waiting times for treatments would still be measured as part of this more comprehensive monitoring regime.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31738750