"A & E Target times put undue pressure on staff"

I was admitted to A & E today as I have severe life threatening allergic reactions. To treat these I am prescribed Epi-Pens (adrenalin) which I use. After using an Epi-Pen, it is recommended that I should call 999 and be observed for at least 6 hours before being discharged. While I was at A & E, the staff were concerned that my stay would have an impact on their performance, and I overheard one suggest that I should be discharged to an observation ward after 4 hours. In the end they decided not to do so as there was little point in doing the additional paper work of transferring me for no good clinical reasons. I commend them for their decision. While targets are useful to measure qualities of service provided, they can, at times be rather crude and produce unintended conditions. They may end up putting the needs of administrators before patients. The staff were professional and friendly in the way they treated me during my visit and I would be happy to recommend the department to my friends and family.