In its recently published report on 200 A&E departments in England, the Healthcare Commission has urged hospitals to monitor variations in the quality of care in accident and emergency departments. The report states that the majority of patients are happy with the standard of care they receive in A&E, but it suggests that performance varies widely.
Watchdog report urges A&E performance monitoring
It also found that some patients in some emergency departments are not receiving the standard of care that A&E consultants recommend. In particular, some children and older people do not receive pain relief for fractures promptly enough.
In response to the Commission’s findings, Health Minister Lord Warner stated: “A&E services have been making excellent progress over the last two years, and we are pleased that this report reflects this. What we are seeing is sustainable whole system reform with the 98% of patients seen in A&E within four hours becoming the operational norm for the vast majority of Trusts.”
Anna Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, said: “A&E departments have overall made great strides in improving services, in particular on waiting times which are very important to patients. A&E departments now have to go the extra mile if they are to deliver the care that patients need and that means focusing on quality as well as waiting.”
