William Harvey Hospital in Ashford has been ranked among the worst in England for A&E waiting times, according to new analysis of NHS figures. The hospital was placed in joint sixth place nationally for the proportion of patients spending more than 12 hours in its emergency department.
20.3% of patients wait over 12 hours
Between June and August, 20.3 per cent of the 20,965 patients who attended the hospital's A&E spent more than 12 hours there from arrival to being admitted, transferred, or discharged. This is more than double the national average of 9.7 per cent.
The figures, analysed by health cost experts at Single Mothers Guide, placed the hospital alongside the Countess of Chester Hospital in the rankings. The data shows the situation worsened over the summer, with the percentage of patients waiting over 12 hours rising from 17.7 per cent in June to 20.2 per cent in July, and peaking at 23.1 per cent in August.
Other Kent hospitals compared
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, also run by East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, reported a figure of 18.2 per cent across the same three-month period. Other hospitals in Kent had lower figures, with Medway Maritime Hospital at 12.9 per cent, Tunbridge Wells Hospital at 12 per cent, Darent Valley Hospital at 7.8 per cent, and Maidstone Hospital at 5.1 per cent.
The rankings were determined from NHS England data, focusing on the share of A&E patients spending more than 12 hours in the department. The data excludes children's and eye A&Es, and considers the time from a patient's arrival to their admission, transfer, or discharge.
Trust contacted for comment
East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust has been contacted for comment. The hospital's performance highlights ongoing pressures on emergency services in the region, with the trust now expected to respond to the findings.
