MORE than 30,000 A&E patients in mid and south Essex had to wait more than four hours in the second quarter of 2023, new figures have revealed.

The Mid and South Essex NHS Trust was ranked as the second worst in the region for A&E waiting times in the three months between April and June last year.

According to data collated and published by experts at ePower Trucks, 31 per cent  of patients - 30,863 people - had to wait longer than four hours in A&E.

The Princess Alexandra Trust was ranked as the worst trust with 45.7 per cent of attendees - which is equivalent to 14,202 people – waiting for more than the four-hour target.

The East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation NHS Trust (ESNEFT) was ranked the third worst with 25.6 per cent of attendees - or 19,666 people – waiting over four hours.

The rankings were determined by NHS data but did not include the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust nor the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust due to no data being available.  

Braintree and Witham Times: Waiting - 30,863 people waited for more than 4 hours at A&E in the second quarter of 2023 across the MSE Trust's hospitalsWaiting - 30,863 people waited for more than 4 hours at A&E in the second quarter of 2023 across the MSE Trust's hospitals (Image: Submitted)

A spokesman for the Mid and South Essex NHS Trust “refuted” the claims they were the region’s second worst trust.

They said: “The Trust’s A&E performance for September was actually 67.1 per cent of people being seen within the four-hour window - one of the best in the region.

“This shows that our urgent and emergency care improvement programme is having a positive effect. We are working with our ambulance and community partners to prevent unnecessary hospital attendance and streaming patients into the right care first time.

The MSE Foundation NHS Trust spokesman explained that like all hospitals in England the trust had experienced a “sustained increased in demand” for services.

They added: “We have seen 50 per cent more people attending this year and despite this our waiting times to be seen have improved compared with the same time last year.”

Many Braintree and Witham Time readers said they could not fault the staff at A&E with Melinda Law saying she went out after six hours.

Miguel Pavitt, however, said they spent 13 hours “sitting or laying on the floor” in A&E.

Miguel added he was happy Broomfield’s A&E saved his life but explained how going to the emergency department was a last resort.