Birmingham Hospitals Face Winter Pressure

0:00On March 26, Birmingham's emergency department saw tougher times as winter, with patients waiting longer than before. In January, the average time spent in A&E rose to 47 minutes, up from 343 the month prior. The four-hour target for treatment slipped to 59 percent, missing the goal by several points. Performance dipped across most sites, though good hope in solely whole hospital shows like gains. Medical visits jumped 5.7 percent compared to January last year, adding to the strain from packed wards and high demand. This has hit ambulance handovers hard too, with admitted patients averaging 802 minutes for care, up sharply from December. Non-emitted folks waited 252 minutes on average. The trust faces the highest level of national oversight as a result. Officials know winter pressures overwhelm services at all locations, hurting key metrics. The board report stresses ongoing commitment to hit 71 percent on the four-hour target by March 2026, cut handover times to 42 minutes and reduced 12 hour waits.

1:05The trust board meets today, March 26, to tackle these issues head on, aiming for steady gains