The College of Emergency Medicine recently launched its ‘STEP’ campaign aimed at tackling the pressures being faced in A&E, while NICE has also issued guidance to address concerns over safe staffing levels. As emergency departments struggle to meet Government targets, the King’s Fund has argued that this is part of a much wider problem experienced across the whole of the health service.
Statistics published by NHS England at the start of the year revealed that in the three months to the end of 2014, 92.6% of patients were seen within four hours, just short of the 95% target. The performance was the worst quarterly result since the target was introduced at the end of 2004.
The College of Emergency Medicine commented that there are two main reasons for the challenges being faced in A&E departments. There are record numbers of patients attending A&E – an increase of 20,000 per week compared to the same time last year, and there have also been major problems in transferring patients who no longer require acute hospital care to their own homes or intermediate care facilities. This causes ‘exit block’ and congests A&Es, impacting on patient care.
However, those hospitals that implemented the recommendations of the Winter Planning Guidance (issued by the Department of Health and endorsed by the College) coped better with the pressures, according to the College.
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