Our response to NHS England's report on urgent and emergency care
Simplification of the emergency care system to make it more consumer focused and user friendly must be a priority.
The National Medical Director of NHS England, Sir Bruce Keogh has published a new report into urgent and emergency care. The report proposes a fundamental shift in provision of urgent care, with more extensive services outside hospital and patients with more serious or life threatening conditions receiving treatment in centres with the best clinical teams, expertise and equipment.
Responding to NHS England's report on urgent and emergency care, Anna Bradley, Chair of health and social care consumer champion Healthwatch England, said:
"Many people are still going to A&E simply because they don't know where else to go, particularly if they are having trouble getting an appointment with their GP or if their local drop-in centre has been closed. As a result, local Healthwatch from all over the country have been flagging their own concerns about the ability of A&E services to cope.
"Simplification of the emergency care system to make it more consumer focused and user friendly must be a priority. Local Healthwatch need to be at the heart of this, making sure that the views of local communities are central to any decisions about restructuring of emergency services."
