NHS England hits emergency department waiting time targets in May

A new report has shown that NHS England's four-hour accident and emergency waiting time target was achieved for the first time since September 2015 during May.

During the week ending May 24th, 95.1 percent of emergency department patients spent four hours or less from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge, thus achieving the target of 95 percent for the first time in 33 weeks.

However, the target continued to be missed in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, suggesting there are further improvements to be made.

It was also observed that these figures come as the country enters the summer months, during which pressures on emergency services typically ease. As such, fresh reforms and recruitment efforts may be needed before patient numbers increase again in winter.

Dr Clifford Mann, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: "There is still pressure on the system, which in our view is operating at full capacity."