AIREDALE Hospital bosses have apologised to patients faced with long waits in A&E.

NHS Foundation Trust chiefs concede that some people have had to wait longer than the target time due to a surge in demand.

“We saw over 1,000 people in our Emergency Department during Christmas week alone,” said director of operations, Stacey Hunter.

“We are also seeing more patients who need to be admitted to hospital so it is an increase in urgent admissions, not just A&E attendances, that is making the hospital busier than normal for the time of year.

“I would like to thank all our staff who have been working hard to ensure we continue to provide high quality and safe care for our patients.”

She urges people to seek help early when they start to feel unwell to prevent them having to be admitted to hospital.

“Some GPs have extended their opening hours in the evenings and at weekends to provide patients with an alternative when they are not seriously ill which allows them to get appropriate help more quickly,” she added.

“Local pharmacists can also provide expert guidance on how to help manage long-term conditions or give advice on the best treatment for coughs, colds, aches and sprains without an appointment, or people can visit us online at nhs.uk.”

John Grogan, Ilkley and Keighley’s Labour general election candidate, said that in the final quarter of last year, 37 emergency admissions at Airedale were not seen within four hours, compared to just one in the same period of 2013.

“Despite the very best efforts of the hard pressed doctors and nurses at Airedale the situation appears to have deteriorated markedly,” he said.

But trust bosses say the percentage of people seen within four hours between October and December last year, 94.5, was 1.5 per cent up on the corresponding period in 2013.

The total number of A&E admissions rose from 12,777 in the last quarter of 2013 to 13,055 last year.

  • Have you visited A&E at Airedale Hospital this winter and what did you think of the care you received? Write to: The Editor, Gazette & Observer, 38, High Street, Skipton, BD23 1JU.