Wide support for more comprehensive urgent care indicators

NHS England has announced updated standards which aim to capture what matters clinically to patients, end hidden waits and reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus spreading.

The proposed bundle of 10 measures takes account of changes in the way that urgent and emergency care is delivered such as the roll-out of Same day Emergency Care and strengthening of NHS 111.

Hospitals will be expected to see and assess patients within 15 minutes, one of 10 indicators which also include 111 performance, ambulance response times, through to time spent in Emergency Departments.

In an NHS consultation four out of five respondents said they would welcome a bundle of measures. The specific proposals were endorsed by 67 per cent of respondents and opposed by just 13 per cent.

There was also widespread support for each of the 10 measures that could be introduced, including nine tenths of respondents supporting patients receiving their initial assessment within 15 minutes of arrival at A&E and more than two thirds supporting the recording of NHS 111 calls that receive clinical input.

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director said: “Since the previous standards were introduced in 2004, there have been many innovations in urgent treatment and care, so it is right we listen to patients, the public and other experts to ensure NHS services deliver what matters most to patients as well as what is most important clinically.

“Welcomed by the public, NHS staff and patients alike, these new indicators set out how the sickest and most clinically urgent patients could be given priority as well as improving the overall experience of our patients. The pandemic has only made this work even more vital – patients need to get the right care, in the right place, at the right time and in a Covid safe way while they do so.”