Responding to news that patients were turned away from North Middlesex University Hospital Accident and Emergency Department unless they had a “life-threatening illness”, Labour London Assembly Member for Enfield and Haringey, Joanne McCartney AM said:
“Pressure on our local health services has been building for months, but with North Middlesex A&E now forced to turn away those needing urgent care, the situation is clearly becoming desperate.
“Emergency healthcare in North London is critically under-resourced and understaffed, with hardworking health staff left struggling under mounting pressure as cuts bite. With seen North Middlesex A&E missing waiting times every month since last August, there is a real worry that an increasing number of patients are going without the emergency treatment they need.
“We badly need better sources and increased support for our overworked health staff. If the government continually disregard our calls to relieve pressure on A&E services, they seriously risk allowing this crisis to become entrenched.”
Ends
Notes to editors
Notes:
- The waiting time data is drawn from Government NHS statistics available here. In June 2015 the Government stopped publishing weekly A&E data and moved to monthly releases.
- Waiting time data applies to Type 1, 2 and 3 A&Es. Type 1 patients are those who attend Hospital A&E departments as opposed to specialist centres (Type 2) and urgent care centres (Type 3).