Patients at Northwick Park and Ealing Hospital A&E units faced the third worst waiting times in London in the last three months, figures released today show.

Brent & Kilburn Times: The hospital's �21m revamped A&E unit opened last monthThe hospital's �21m revamped A&E unit opened last month (Image: Archant)

According to data collected by NHS England, 87.3 per cent of patients at both hospitals, which are managed by London North West Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH), were seen within four hours which is below the government target of 95 per cent.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust were the worst in London with just 80.5 per cent of patients being seen within the target time.

With 86.6 per cent of patients hitting the target, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust were the second worst.

The figures relate to patients treated between October 5 and December 28 last year.

The trust’s latest figures have worsened since the previous quarter when 91.7 per cent of patients were seen within the target times.

In November, NHS England launched an investigating into the trust’s A&E waiting time figures after it became one of the worst in the country by plummeting to 75 per cent.

The probe will look into whether the closure of Central Middlesex Hospital’s casualty department before the opening of NPH’s revamped A&E unit is linked to the surge in patients waiting longer than the government target.

Tina Benson, the trust’s director of operations, said: “Northwick Park Hospital is not unique in experiencing pressures on A&E performance.

“In December a new £21m A&E department opened at Northwick Park allowing us to introduce more senior clinical staff and consultant cover and, as a result, enable quicker medical assessment of patients.

“We know that bed capacity remains an important challenge for the trust and in December we opened 44 new beds and an additional 66 new beds are planned for this year.”

Nationally 92.6 per cent of patients at A&E units in the last quarter were being seen within four hours.

Related links: Investigation launched into hospital trust’s A&E waiting time figuresNew £21m A&E opens at Northwick Park Hospital