Two-thirds of people who arrived at accident and emergency departments run by the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were seen within four hours last month – missing the NHS target, new figures show.

A trust spokesperson said more patients attended its emergency departments during April and it continues to feel strain from this.

The NHS standard is for 95 per cent of patients to be seen within four hours. But, as part of a recovery plan, the health service has an objective for 78 per cent of patients to be seen within this time frame by March 2025.

Recent NHS England figures show there were 19,983 visits to A&E at the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in April. Of them, 13,355 were seen within four hours – accounting for 67 per cent of arrivals.

At the trust, 1,762 patients waited longer than four hours, including 859 who were delayed by more than 12 hours.

A trust spokesperson told The Press: “During April, we had a high number of patients attending our emergency departments, with an average of 65 more attendance per day throughout the month, which is a rise of 21 per cent.

“The number of ambulances arrivals was also up by 15 per cent, coupled with the acuity of patients arriving by ambulance needing emergency care.

“Like hospitals across the country, our emergency departments continue to be very busy, and we urge people to help us by using alternatives such as NHS 111 if they are unsure whether to go to the emergency department. 

“This will ensure that when people need help, they are guided to the best possible appropriate care and treatment, and our emergency teams can focus on those most in need.”

The overall number of attendances to A&E at the trust in April was a drop of two per cent on the 20,423 visits recorded during March, but one per cent more than the 19,716 patients seen in April 2023.

England's A&E departments had busiest April ever

Across England, 74 per cent of patients were seen within four hours. It was in line with the month before, also missing the target.

About 2.2 million people attended A&E departments across the country last month – the busiest April ever and 10 per cent higher than the number of attendances the same time in 2023.

Read next:

NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “Today’s figures show just how hard NHS staff are working to deliver the best possible care for patients, despite ongoing significant demand and a difficult recovery journey.

“Improvements in urgent and emergency care continue, with ambulances responding to emergency calls faster, and more people being seen within four hours in A&Es despite a record April for attendances and admissions.”