• NHS Improvement has published the Q3 figures, reflecting key findings between October and December 2018.
• The figures show that 5.4 million patients were treated and discharged in A&E within four hours - 107,000 more patients than the same period last year.
• This was despite A&Es admitting 785 more patients a day during the quarter compared to the same period last year (a 6.1% increase).
• The number of staff vacancies has reduced by 5,000 compared to the previous quarter, meaning NHS trusts now face 100,500 vacancies.
• The number of patients spending more than 21 days in hospital was reduced by 1,950 over the quarter. 
  
  

Responding to the Q3 NHS figures published by NHS Improvement, the director of performance and strategy at NHS Providers, Miriam Deakin, said:

“This is a creditable performance by trusts in the face of rapidly rising demand for care, severe staff and skills shortages and continuing financial pressures.

This is a creditable performance by trusts in the face of rapidly rising demand for care, severe staff and skills shortages and continuing financial pressures.

Miriam Deakin    Co-Director of Development and Engagement

“Clearly it is a cause for concern to trusts that they are not managing to deliver on the key targets that patients rightly expect.

“Recovering performance must be a key priority, but we should not lose sight of the great efforts made by trusts and front line staff to treat more patients, providing timely, high quality care.

Recovering performance must be a key priority, but we should not lose sight of the great efforts made by trusts and front line staff to treat more patients, providing timely, high quality care.

Miriam Deakin    Co-Director of Development and Engagement

“So while we saw further rises in A&E attendances and emergency admissions, and slippage against the four-hour standard, we should acknowledge that in Q3 over 106,000 more patients were seen, treated or discharged within four hours than for the same time the previous year.

“Similarly, although we saw performance slip back against the 18 week standard for routine operations, there was some progress on cancer treatment, access to mental health services, and a reduction in long-stay patients.

Although we saw performance slip back against the 18 week standard for routine operations, there was some progress on cancer treatment, access to mental health services, and a reduction in long-stay patients.

Miriam Deakin    Co-Director of Development and Engagement

“These are significant achievements, particularly in view of the extremely challenging workforce problems trusts face.

“The financial position is broadly similar to what we saw last year, though fewer trusts are in deficit.

“However they continue to operate in an extremely challenging environment, and despite trusts’ best efforts, we are not convinced the sector will meet the projected overspend forecast by NHS Improvement.”