NHS England has reaffirmed that patient safety is the number one priority as health chiefs announce plans ahead of another busy winter in urgent and emergency care services.
Health leaders have warned that UEC services are likely to be subjected to “significant strain” during the winter months, meaning “longer waits at certain points in the pathway than acceptable” for some patients. In a letter from NHSE, systems have been urged to collaborate to ensure all patients are cared for in the safest possible place, while being treated as quickly as possible.
The letter outlines the plans for winter, including NHSE intentions to:
- upgrade its 24-hour live data centres to manage demand;
- strengthen same day emergency care; and
- offer more falls services for older people.
Winter planning
Some of the efforts to ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate place include front door assessments as well as regular board and ward rounds throughout the day.
NHSE also wants to make sure that those with complex needs, mental health issues or frailty have the option to receive care in the community – in turn avoiding an admission. This would also entail all areas of the country having a mental health response vehicle on hand.
Working across the NHS and social care, all hospitals now also have a care transfer hub to manage discharge of patients with more complex needs. July 2024 saw around 5,000 (1.7%) more discharges than the same month the year prior.
Major A&Es up and down the country are now delivering same day emergency care services, meaning 2.5 million people a year are being cared for in one day.
The weekly data that is traditionally collected will be expanded to include mental health patients in acute hospitals as well as community care and NHS 111.
Before winter officially arrives, however, NHSE plans on conducting a review of each integrated care system to help deliver the necessary actions for improved patient safety and waiting list reductions. The systems that do not meet their targets during winter will have experts deployed directly into them.
The health service is also looking to combat the ‘tripledemic’ of RSV, Covid-19 and influenza over the winter months. Vaccination efforts are being ramped up, with the landmark RSV campaign already underway.
Worryingly tough
NHSE’s national urgent and emergency care director, Sarah-Jane Marsh, said: “This plan is crucial in setting out the further action we must take to manage the needs of our population, while also working towards cutting waiting times at A&E and ensuring the privacy and dignity of those who have to wait the longest.”
Karin Smyth, the secondary care minister, said that staff have been doing an excellent job across this year’s record-breaking summer. “But we know winter presents even greater challenges, so we’re wasting no time in readying the health and social care system for what’s ahead,” she added.
Sir Julian Hartley, NHS Providers’ CEO, echoed the sentiment over a tough winter, but questioned whether the planning would be enough without fresh investment.
He commented: "With no new money to back it up, the action plan from NHS England only tweaks the edges albeit with some sensible help for trusts and local healthcare systems. The report by Lord Darzi diagnosed the bigger problem but unfortunately the remedies won’t be in place in time to tackle the usual winter pressures.
"Trusts and their teams will be pulling out all the stops to keep patients safe and to look after the wellbeing of NHS staff who face another busy winter knowing they don’t have all the tools to do the job they want to providing first-class care."
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