Plans are underway to shift the burden of care from hospitals to communities in a bid to alleviate pressure on A&E departments. The move, expected to be detailed in a major overhaul plan this spring, aims to reduce overcrowding and long wait times by increasing community-based care options like 'respiratory hubs' and 'urgent community response teams'. While hospitals will continue to handle life-threatening emergencies, the plan seeks to provide alternative care settings for patients with less urgent needs.
Plans to treat more people at home or in their local area instead of in hospital are expected to form part of a major overhaul of A&E care to be published this spring.
This could be at dedicated local “respiratory hubs”, where medics can prescribe medication for chest infections or asthma, or at home by urgent community response teams, where doctors or community nurses can visit older people who need medical attention that does not require hospital admission. Plans to shift more care from A&E to the community could see a significant expansion of the response teams.
A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “A&E services have been under immense pressure again this winter as they deal with a broken system. A report by the Royal College of Nursing last week found that nine in 10 nurses believe patient safety is being put at risk due to overcrowding in hospitals, and seven in 10 said they wereSince the new year, several hospitals in the UK have declared a critical incident, meaning demand is outstripping capacity.
In January 2023, during a similarly tough winter, Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government and NHS England published a delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care. An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS delivered on its 2023 urgent and emergency care plan including extra beds, more staff and more care in the community through proven measures like virtual wards – while there have been some improvements in performance, there is much more to do to bring down long waits for patients.
A joint statement last Wednesday from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Royal College of GPs, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, the Patients Association and others said any shift from hospital to community would need more funding for primary care and a cutting of red tape to free up more time for GPs.
“We would support a model of care that supports people in the community and having more investment in long term solutions that allow people to live and be treated in their own home. “We need to get better at enabling patients to flow into and out of hospital where they need to. A big part of that is going to be tackling delayed discharges, and improving community-based NHS services.”
But Gardner said: “I don’t think it is credible without some form of intervention to improve access to social care support in the short term. Deighton said: “The most pressing issue for the NHS is the issue of social care provision. We know the social care sector continues to operate under immense pressure.
“Those carers and those nursing home placements are in very short supply, they just don’t exist, which means patients are trapped in hospitals, which means that new patients arriving are really struggling to access those beds. So the social care sector absolutely needs looking at.”Experts and union leaders say that any new plan to alleviate pressure on A&Es would need to address chronic staffing shortages in the NHS and care sector.
Patricia Marquis, RCN executive director for England, said: “There is no turning around NHS services and ending corridor care without addressing the crisis in nursing.
NHS A&E Emergency Care Community Care Social Care
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
5 Million Without Dentists in England: Crisis in NHS Dental CareNew figures reveal a staggering 5 million people in England lack access to dental care, highlighting a severe crisis in the NHS dental system. The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to address the issue and implement their 'Dental Rescue Package' to ensure access to affordable dental care for all.
Read more »
NHS App Overhaul to Give Patients More Choice in Elective TreatmentPatients needing elective care will soon have greater control over their treatment locations thanks to a major upgrade to the NHS App. The revamped app will offer choices among various providers, including those in the independent sector, aiming to reduce waiting times and empower patients.
Read more »
NHS Trusts in England Implement Visiting Restrictions Amid Surge in Winter IllnessesNHS trusts in England are facing a surge in winter illnesses, leading to visitor restrictions at several hospitals. The high number of flu hospitalizations has prompted measures to protect patients, staff, and the public.
Read more »
Menopause Support Campaigner Highlights NHS Failures in Surgical Menopause CareDiane Danzebrink, a menopause support campaigner, calls for an urgent review of surgical menopause care after receiving numerous accounts from women who felt they were not adequately prepared for the procedure's side effects. She highlights concerns about NHS failures in providing comprehensive support and guidance to women undergoing surgical menopause.
Read more »
NHS Urges Public to Use Services Wisely Amidst Winter PressureHealth leaders in the north west of England are warning the public about the use of NHS services due to increasing pressure on hospitals following the Christmas period. A surge in demand for primary care, hospital services, mental health support, and emergency services across Greater Manchester is straining the NHS. Hospitals are facing a high influx of patients, particularly those with chronic respiratory conditions that worsen in cold weather. The NHS advises the public to utilize NHS 111 online for non-urgent medical advice during the New Year.
Read more »
Unrelenting pressures on NHS lead to ‘hard to stomach’ corridor careWe filmed at Queen's Hospital in Romford, where they were full in the emergency department, with three corridors being used and a fourth about to open.
Read more »