September 11, 2013 8.00 am This story is over 133 months old

Extra £8m to improve Lincolnshire A&E services

Funds to cope: Lincolnshire hospitals will receive an extra £8 million to improve A&E services ahead of the winter season.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) will receive an extra £8 million to improve A&E services at county hospitals ahead of the winter season.

The move comes after earlier in February and April hospital managers in Lincolnshire urged people only to go to A&E if it is “absolutely vital” due to pressure on services.

Bank holidays and the winter period can also be very busy for A&E departments.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced the funding on Tuesday.

The minister said GPs should offer same-day appointments to patients to cut the number of people coming to A&E and avoid a repeat of last winter’s crisis.

In the first three months of 2013, ULHT missed the four-hour standard in around half of cases, and 4,646 people waited longer than four hours for A&E treatment.

Lincoln MP Karl McCartney welcomed new funding for Lincoln’s A&E department.

He said: “For the hardworking NHS staff that serve my Lincoln constituents this extra money will be a welcome boost to them, their morale and their managers this winter, when we all know A&E departments come under most pressure.”