Shropshire's accident and emergency departments in crisis as fail to reach targets

The Government's target is for 95 per cent of patients to be seen, treated, admitted or discharged within four hours at A&E.

But nationally just under 90 per cent of patients were seen within the target last week.

And that drops to just 86 per cent for the combined figures for the Royal Shrewsbury and the Princess Royal hospitals in the seven days up to December 14.

During that week the two A&E departments had 1,864 patients through their doors, 37 fewer than the previous week.

Nobody from the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust was available for comment.

Across the Welsh border the problem is even worse with just 76 per cent of people attending A&E at Wrexham Maelor - the nearest hospital for people in part of Oswestry and north Shropshire - being transferred or treated within four hours.

The news comes in the same week that Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Hospital Trust announced that the Minor Injuries Unit in Oswestry would extend its weekend opening hours over the next three weeks to try to ease pressure on the accident and emergency departments.

Just six of 140 A&E departments across the country met the Government's 95 per cent target last week.

Across England just over 440,000 patients visited A&E in the week ending 14 December with 89.8 per cent seen within four hours.

There were over 111,000 emergency admissions to hospital - 80,000 from A&E units - which is an all-time high.

Trolley waits of four hours or more for a bed once a decision was made to admit a patient into hospital from A&E topped 10,000 for the first time.

That compares to under 4,000 for the same week last year.

Delays getting patients out of hospital once they are ready for discharge are also much higher than average.

The minor injuries unit in Oswestry will be open until 6pm for seven days a week until January 4.

It usually closes at 1pm at weekends.

Andy Matthews, Divisional Manager of Community Hospitals and Outpatient Services said: "Minor injuries units can offer help with a whole range of injuries including cuts and lacerations, bites, foreign bodies in the eyes, nose and ears, wound infections, assessment of fractures, minor head injuries and burns."

"Minor Injuries Units can also be found in Bridgnorth, Whitchurch and Ludlow in Shropshire, while in mid Wales there are MIUs in Welshpool and Newtown. They may treat patients quicker than A&E for minor injuries."

"Pharmacies can also offer advice on common problems such as coughs, colds, aches and pains and can also help you decide whether you need to see a doctor. "