ACTION to address Dorset’s accident and emergency crisis has been demanded by a health watchdog.

As reported in the Daily Echo yesterday, new figures show that admissions to the A&E departments at Bournemouth and Poole Hospitals have reached record levels, placing huge pressure on staff and leaving patients waiting hours for treatment.

And in Prime Minister’s Questions, opposition leader Ed Miliband cited the situation as he described the health service as being in ‘crisis’.

Bournemouth Hospital pointed to the frailty and age of its patients as a factor and Poole Hospital claimed it has experienced ‘unprecedented levels of pressure’, with both praising staff for their efforts.

However, manager of Healthwatch Dorset Martyn Webster said blaming a growing elderly population and urging people to use alternatives to A&E is nothing new.

“Much of this has been plain and been talked about for years,” he said.

“But that’s no comfort either to the patient left in pain on a trolley in A&E for hours, or for frontline staff working so hard to meet the demand. The time for talking is over. It’s time for action.

“Action to give people more viable, more accessible and more available alternatives to A&E. And action to put more viable, more accessible and more available services in the community.”

South Western Ambulance received thousands more emergency calls than the previous year during Christmas and was put on ‘major incident standby’ as a result.

On Saturday, December 27, the service received 3,205 calls – a 38 per cent increase on 2013’s figures. A spokesman for South Western Ambulance service said: “We know this time of year is always busy, but this year additional pressures have meant many more people than usual needing to use the services which has also led to more patients needing to be admitted to hospital.”

999 calls

999 calls for ambulances over Christmas – Data from South Western Ambulance Service:

  • Christmas Day 2013 – 2,154
  • Christmas Day 2014 – 2,530  
  • Boxing Day 2013 – 2,382
  • Boxing Day 2014 – 2,800
  • Saturday after Christmas 2013 – 2,322
  • Saturday after Christmas 2014 – 3,205
  • Sunday after Christmas 2013 – 2,400
  • Sunday after Christmas 2014 – 2,935
  • December 31, 2013 – 2,145
  • December 31, 2014 – 2,632
  • January 1, 2014 – 2,859
  • January 1, 2015 – 3,361