Well, this is a surprise.
While Western Australia leads the Australian charge towards embracing the four-hour rule, it looks like our Pommie predecessors are going to scrap it.
This is what the United Kingdom’s new Health Secretary, Nick Lansley said:
“I was very clear in what I had to say – I’m going to abolish the four-hour A&E target. I will issue guidance to the NHS shortly, the purpose of which … is in order to ensure that we deliver better quality”…
“Waiting time targets – by focusing attention on every patient – have improved the NHS in many respects. However, in some cases they have also created pressure on staff to make inappropriate decisions that could compromise care”…
“the four-hour target was being pursued not in order to give the best possible care to patients – but in spite of what would be the best possible care for patients”
Does this put the cat among the pigeons?
Read the Guardian’s full article here (big hat tip to @antidoped).
About Chris Nickson
