17.06.13
Review shows patient confusion over urgent care
The NHS needs to simplify urgent care, and ensure 24/7 provision, a review led by Sir Bruce Keogh has highlighted.
Too many patients are ‘defaulting’ to A&E due to confusion about where to go when they need urgent medical care, the review shows.
The research, commissioned by NHS England, found that urgent or unplanned care leads to around 100 million NHS calls or visits each year, and pressure throughout the system has led to fragmentation and variation in services.
The review found a lack of patient awareness about how community pharmacists can offer care and that some patients lack confidence in their care and seek a second opinion, leading to duplication of care.
The report said: “The fragmentation and diverse nomenclature of urgent care services across England causes confusion amongst patients and healthcare professionals in terms of services offered. This can lead to patients presenting at services that may not best suit their needs.”
Professor Keith Willett, who is chairing the review's steering group, said: “We know that A&E is the pinch point of the health and care system and that staff are working very hard to provide the care they know the public need.
“To relieve the pressure and design a system that is sustainable and fit to meet future challenges, we need as many patients, doctors, nurses and NHS colleagues as possible to get involved.”
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