COLCHESTER General Hospital is not alone in failing to meet three key targets on A&E time, cancer treatment and planned operations.

This is something trusts across the country are struggling with.

That’s because there are so many external factors when it comes to hitting health targets.

Unfortunately, the number crunchers at Whitehall do not appear to take into account the increasing population pressures.

How is an acute hospital such as Colchester meant to meet targets it is not already meeting while more and more patients are coming through its doors?

It is intrinsically unfair.

There are things we can do to help. Clearly, there are still too many people arriving at A&E who just do not need to be there.

We’ve written before in this column that A&E does not stand for anything and everything.

It is for people who need lifesaving treatment.

Too often, people are still going to the emergency department with ailments which could be treated elsewhere, namely the walk-in centre or the GP surgery.

Cancer waiting times is, of course, an emotive subject and it is important to remember which target is not being met.

The majority of patients who are referred to hospital for a cancer diagnosis are still being seen within two weeks. It is the 62-day time to treatment target which is the issue, not least because so many clinicians must be involved in what an individual’s best pathway will be.

Nick Hulme’s honesty is refreshing but he must be getting sick of being told his organisation is “failing”.