Significant improvements recorded in Stoke Mandeville Hospital's emergency department as ranking improves

New rankings, based on new data released by the NHS, has seen the A&E department at the Bucks hospital’s ranking jump from 48th to 18th nationally.

NHS data from last month shows the department met the national standard of 78% of people being seen, treated and discharged or admitted to hospital within four hours of arrival at A&E.

Ambulance handover times have also significantly reduced during this period.

The Buckinghamshire NHS Trust has credited improvements recorded at the hospital over the past two years to changes recently introduced at the hospital. A spokesperson said a new process ensures that patients are seen by the most appropriate clinician, in the right place, first time.

Contributing factors listed by the trust include its new 21-bed Emergency Medical Receiving Unit (EMRU), which was created for people who need a short-stay bed before returning home.

A scheme that allows patients to receive emergency care without the need for a hospital admission, improvements to its rapid assessment service, and more patients receiving hospital-level care at home, were also listed as reasons for improvement.

Chief operating officer at the trust, Raghuv Bhasin said: "This reduction in waiting times is the result of a concerted team effort by colleagues not just within our A&E department but across Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and beyond. The improvement in our national ranking comes from the dedication and leadership of the Bucks team who are committed to continuing to improve the care we provide to the residents of the county.”