ONE in five patients are being forced to wait more than four hours for treatment at Basildon Hospital due to pressure on A&E.

Latest figures released by the hospital show only 81 per cent of patients were seen within four hours, significantly below the Government target of 95 per cent.

Hospital bosses have blamed the problems on high demand, and insist all patients are prioritised according to their needs.

In a report to a hospital board meeting this week, deputy chief executive Tom Abell said: "Throughout the winter, the trust has continued to experience very high levels of demand for its services, particularly emergency care.

"As a consequence, the trust’s performance against the four-hour A&E wait standard achieved only 81.01 per cent in February, with a similar figure anticipated for March.

"The trust’s bed occupancy rate remains very high, at or above 100 per cent, and the trust has remained on black alert for a significant proportion of the last two months."

The four-hour target for British A&E departments was first set at 98 per cent by the Department for Health in 2004, but it was revised to 95 per cent in 2010 after the original level was deemed unrealistic.

Basildon Hospital has only achieved the 95 per cent target for three of the last 12 months, up to February.

In March, the Echo revealed the number of hours lost due to delays in ambulance crews handing over patients at A&E had almost doubled in Essex over a three-month period.

Handover delays are preventing ambulance crews from attending 115 emergencies during a typical 12-hour period across the East of England.

Basildon Hospital chief operating officer Nigel Kee said: "A twice weekly meeting with all relevant partner agencies continues to take place to unblock issues and ensure patients are moved on and placed in the most appropriate setting.

"Emergency system pressures and performance remain an area that is consuming vast amounts of staff time and energy as well as being a concern."

A hospital spokesman said: "Like many other hospitals across the country we are currently experiencing a high level of demand for our A&E services.

"During exceptionally busy times this means that patients with non-urgent conditions may have to wait longer for treatment.

"All patients arriving at our A&E department are triaged promptly by a nurse and then seen in order of clinical need."

The spokesman said the hospital cannot predict or limit people coming to A&E.

Last year, Basildon Hospital started publishing real-time A&E waiting times on its website.

The spokesman added: "This gives patients the opportunity to make an informed decision about where to access the care they need, especially when A&E is incredibly busy.

"We know that at least 20 per cent of patients who attend A&E could have used alternatives, such as a pharmacist, GP or minor injuries unit."