ACCIDENT and emergency departments in Bournemouth and Poole are seeing more of their patients within four hours than the average nationally, according to the latest figures.

Poole Hospital A&E saw 91.4 per cent of patients in four hours or less in the week ending January 11, and at Bournemouth that figure was 92.3 per cent.

Both hospitals did better than they had in the previous week and better than the national average for A&E units in England, where 89.8 per cent of patients were seen within that time.

The national figure is also an improvement on the previous week, when just 86.7 per cent of those attending A&E units were seen within four hours – but it still falls well below the government’s target of 95 per cent.

It is a reflection of the intense pressure on the NHS this winter, with cases of norovirus and flu and the cold weather once again seeing demand for services skyrocket.

Richard Renaut, inset, chief operating officer at Bournemouth, said the emergency unit continuing to cope well with the increased demand was “largely down to the determination and hard work of our staff who strive to keep care standards high despite increased levels of demand”.

He said they had also trialled a successful rapid assessment and treatment scheme and opened a dedicated additional ward to cope with winter pressures.

A Poole Hospital spokesman said there had been a recent reduction in A&E attendances but they “continue to ensure we have robust plans in place to support increased demand should it be required”.

The latest release of weekly figures comes as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) published draft guidance for the number of nurses that should be in A&E units.

The organisation said there should be enough nursing staff on duty to have one nurse for every four cubicles but two registered nurses to one patient in cases of major trauma or cardiac arrest.

It calls for a registered children’s nurse on each shift, or at least one A&E nurse with education and training in children's nursing.

The guidelines recommend that departments should allow for enough nursing staff to care for higher than the average number of patients who attend the department on a daily basis.

Mr Renaut said an initial estimate showed the current nurse-to-cubicle ratio in the Emergency Department met the new guidance.

He added: “We will, however, be studying the draft guidance further and continue to recruit Emergency Department nurses to maintain safe staffing levels.”

A spokesman for Poole Hospital said they were also compliant with NICE staffing levels guidance, including those recommended for the emergency department.