Print media representations of UK Accident and Emergency treatment targets: Winter 2014-2015

To undertake an analysis of UK national daily newspaper coverage of accident and emergency treatment targets, in order to understand whether the media could be seen to be creating a scandal.

Emergency department treatment targets have become common in developed countries. In the UK, hospitals are required to treat and discharge patients within four hours, and statistics are published daily. Breaches of targets are regularly reported by the UK print media.

Exploratory research of tabloid newspaper articles that reported on four-hour treatment targets in the UK during a seven-month period over the winter of 2014-2015 (n = 1,317). An interpretivist thematic approach was used during analysis.

The main "problem" identified by newspapers was the failure to meet the target, rather than negative effects on patient care (where they existed). Proposed solutions were diverse. Many articles did not describe who was to blame for the failure.

We conclude that the media created a feeling of scandal, and hypothesise that this is related to political reasons and the availability of data on a daily basis.

It is important for nursing staff to understand the influence of the media on patients and how stories are reported.