Patients visiting A&E at the Cumberland Infirmary are spending on average more than five hours in the department, new figures have shown.

Data revealed in a Freedom of Information request shows that the average time spent in the A&E department at the Cumberland Infirmary in 2024, so far, is 331 minutes or 5.52 hours.

This is an increase of more than six per cent on the same time period in 2023 where the average time up to July was 311 minutes or 5.12 hours. 

The total average time spent in the department for the entire year in 2023 was 337 minutes or 5.6 hours.

Dr Mike Rickards, consultant in emergency medicine, said: “Just as in most hospitals across the country, attendances to our A&E departments have increased and this impacts on our waiting times.

"In addition, difficulties in discharging patients from hospital who no longer need medical care but do need further care packages put in place, can lead to a lack of available beds for those coming in through our A&E departments."

The average times were, unsurprisingly, longer in the winter months with patients spending up to six hours in A&E in October, November, and December in 2023.

This year, April has had the highest average time spent in department at more than seven hours. 

Last year the hospital recorded 61,133 attendances at the A&E department and, as of July 4, 32,465 people have visited the department this year. 

There are a number of reasons for both high attendance and increasing waiting times in A&E which includes the pressures faced by GP surgeries and a lack of available beds.

In a bid to address the waiting times and space constraints in the department, North Cumbria Integrated Care (NCIC) has submitted an outline planning application to Cumberland Council to look at building an urgent treatment centre at the infirmary. 

Dr Rickards added: “We continue to work with partners across the health and social care system to work through ways of reducing waiting times by making sure patients are in the right place for the care they need, and we prioritise seeing patients with the most urgent conditions.

"We also promote the range of healthcare options available to help people make the best choice for their needs, which is not always A&E.

"For example, our Urgent Treatment Centres in Penrith and Keswick have significantly shorter waiting times for non-life-threatening conditions and injuries."

The Freedom of Information request has also revealed the longest time a patient has spent in the A&E department from arrival to discharge. 

In 2023, this was 59 hours and in 2024, to date, this is 66 hours or 2.75 days.

In England, the NHS has a four-hour standard in which at least 95 per cent of patients at an A&E department should be admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours.

Last year, five months fell within the four-hour mark timeframe at the Cumberland Infirmary with June being the lowest month for time spent in A&E. Similarly, in this year June and July have fallen within the four hour mark.

“The longest wait times will be particular to that patient’s condition which can be complex," said Dr Rickard.

"However, we would like to offer assurance that if a patient is in the A&E department for a very long period, they have been assessed, seen by a clinician and a treatment plan will have been agreed.

"The staff in the department will provide care for that patient while they wait for the specialist bed or treatment they require. The majority of people are seen, treated and discharged or admitted within four hours of arriving in the department.

"We proactively share our live waiting times on our website. However, we fully acknowledge that a lot of people wait too long and that is something we continue to work hard to improve.”

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