Grange University A&E 'underprepared' for patient numbers

The reported target waiting time for patients at accident and emergency departments is within a four hour window, with health boards across Wales having recently been told that patients must be seen by 'clinical decision makers' within an hour, according to guidance published by the Welsh Government. 

One local councillor in Gwent has raised concerns with the Grange University Hospital after he has had numerous complaints that residents have been waiting more than 12 hours to be seen, something which the Welsh Government have set out a "zero tolerance" to. 

Kevin Etheridge, councillor for Blackwood ward, believes that the Grange University Hospital has been underprepared for the sheer number of patients that have passed through their doors in recent years, amid a delay to the planned extension to their waiting room, which is planned to be completed by April 2025, with the overall scheme to be completed a few months later. 

Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge says the lengthy waiting times at The Grange University Hospital's emergency department are unacceptable (Image: File) Cllr Etheridge has said it is "unacceptable" that patients are being forced to wait hours to see a doctor in an emergency department. 

He said: "It is essential waiting times are reduced from ambulance to A& E and patients having not to wait several hours to see a doctor. The situation is unacceptable."

In a response to a letter from Cllr Etheridge in July, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, who are responsible for the Grange University Hospital, said that the Covid pandemic has changed the way patients "self-present at the site" and that it has made it "difficult to predict the volume of patient presentations at the emergency department".

They also highlighted that daily attendances at their emergency department are regularly reaching around 300 people, with peaks of 360. 

Cllr Etheridge voiced a concern that this rise in patients attending had not been expected, adding that "surely any business case would have flagged this up", particularly noting that other hospitals in the area, such as Ystrad and Abergavenny, have "had their services downgraded". 

Following a recent inspection from Health Inspectorate Wales, in which improvement was deemed necessary, the health board created a "detailed action plan", which had particular focus on fixing overcrowding in the waiting room.

The Grange University Hospital is set for an extension, including a new waiting room which is expected to be completed in April 2025 (Image: File) The health board say the new waiting room is being built with an increased number of chairs, while the current one will be "re-purposed" to enable patients to be treated "in a timelier manner". 

It was also noted that the health board and ambulance service are continuing to review "patient pathways" to ensure better first time treatment, which will aim to "improve flow" and "minimise ambulance handover delays". 

The health board have said they do not believe the planned extension and "ongoing demands" will need an increase in staff, as the new waiting room will "improve patients' experiences in recognition of the ongoing demands". 

A spokesman for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said:

“We appreciate Cllr Etheridge’s concerns and have made every effort to answer his questions in an open and transparent manner.

“We recognise that some patients are waiting longer to receive care in the Emergency Department than we would want and are continuously working to see how we can best meet the growing needs of our population."

They highlighted that they have already seen evidence of improvement in an number of areas, and they are continuing to work on the emergency care system to reduce the pressure on the department at The Grange University Hospital.

The spokesperson reiterated that the extension is expected to reduce the waiting delays and improve patient experience, with the new waiting area expected to be completed by April.

They added: “We would like to thank our residents for their patience at this time and our amazing staff, who continue to work incredibly hard to keep our services running and to care for patients as quickly as possible.”