Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Two-thirds of patients admitted to the Accident and Emergency department at Milton Keynes University Hospital were seen within four hours, according to new figures.

NHS England figures revealed there were 15,145 visitors to the A&E department in Milton Keynes in the last full month, with 10,304 seen within four hours.

This accounts for 68 per cent of arrivals, and is well below the NHS standard for 95 per cent of patients to be seen within that timeframe.

As part of a recovery plan, the health service is aiming for 78 per cent of patients to be seen within four hours by March 2025, with Milton Keynes also below this target last month.

Two-thirds of arrivals to the A&E Department at Milton Keynes University Hospital last month were seen within the target time of four hours, according to new research

Nationally, 71 per cent of patients were seen within the four-hour window at A&E departments last month.

Figures also showed 54,207 emergency admissions waited more than 12 hours in A&E departments from a decision to admit to actually being admitted - a significant jump from 45,791 the month before.

The number waiting at least four hours from a decision to admit to admission also increased, standing at 154,689 patients in December.

At Milton Keynes University Hospital, 916 patients waited longer than four hours from a decision to admit to actually being admitted.

The overall number of attendances to the A&E Department in Milton Keynes last month was a rise of five per cent on the 14,386 visitors recorded in November.

It is also a nine per cent increase on the number of patients seen in December 2023, which was 13,913.

Nationally around 2.3 million people attended A&E Departments across the country in December, which contributed to 2024 being the busiest ever year recorded in the department.

The NHS’ national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: "It is hard to quantify just through the data how tough it is for frontline staff at the moment - with some staff working in A&E saying that their days at work feel like some of the days we had during the height of the pandemic."

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: "Annual winter pressures should not mean an annual winter crisis, which is why this Government is making significant investment in the NHS.

"It will take time to turn the NHS around, but the fact that waiting lists are now falling shows change is possible."

Two-thirds of A&E arrivals at Milton Keynes Hospital seen within four hours