WORCESTERSHIRE is falling behind targets set by the NHS to ensure patients are seen.

18,647 people visited Worcestershire's Acute Hospitals' A&E departments in November, with just 10,137 of them being seen within four hours - just 54 per cent of all arrivals.

The NHS standard aims for 95 per cent of patients to be seen within four hours.

As part of a recovery plan for the health service, that target has been lowered to 78 per cent, meaning Worcestershire's is still drastically behind where they should be.

Around 2.3 million people visited A&E in England last month, making it the busiest November on record.

A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: "Our Emergency Departments (ED) at the Alexandra Hospital and Worcestershire Royal Hospital are extremely busy and we'd like to apologise to those patients who are having, and have had, lengthy waits.

"Our teams are continuing to work hard, alongside our partners across the wider health and care system, to reduce the pressure on ED and ensure patients get the care they need.

"Our continued focus remains on creating enough beds for urgent admissions while also minimising the impact on patients attending for planned procedures, in particular for cancer patients."

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In the first week of December, 95 per cent of beds at the three hospitals in Worcestershire were occupied, something the trust has admitted is higher than it would like.

The overall number of attendances to A&E at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust in November was a drop of 3% on the 19,285 visits recorded during October, but 7% more than the 17,403 patients seen in November 2023.

The spokesperson added: "We would urge the public to use NHS 111 to receive free urgent care advice before attending our Emergency Departments, and to only use 999 in a life-threatening emergency.

"Unless you attend with a genuine life-threatening emergency, it is likely that you will either be redirected to a more appropriate service or face a very long wait in the department.

"Remember that local Minor Injury Units can treat a variety of injuries including wounds, sprains, strains and minor burns with much shorter waiting times."