The targets holding up the planning guidance

HSJ Health Check

This week we discuss a major obstacle in the planning guidance negotiations – how high to set the A&E four-hour target.

The government is pushing for a new target set at over 80%, while NHS England lobbies for one just one percentage point higher than the current target.

Also this week more on how the risk in emergency care has shifted from ambulances to acute hospitals and the thinking behind controversial regional guidance to prioritise patients in A&E who are less unwell to improve flow.