Recent findings from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and other surveys highlight both strengths and significant challenges.

In February 2024 the CQC asked over 45,000 people who received urgent and emergency care about their experiences of care.

Two questionnaires were used, each tailored to a different type of urgent and emergency care service.

• Type 1 services include A&E departments (these may also be known as casualty or emergency departments)

• Type 3 services include urgent treatment centres (“UTC”) that are run directly by an acute NHS trust (these types of service may also be known as minor injury units)

Nationally, the questionnaires found that many people were broadly positive about their interactions with staff.  Positive feedback focused on the compassionate care given despite challenging conditions.

However, there were lengthy waits to be assessed, inadequate management of pain / control of symptoms and inadequate information post-discharge on health and social care ongoing support.

Key Challenges

Waiting times: Long waits to be seen remains an ongoing issue.  There were delays in relation to ambulance transfers, waiting to be triaged / assessed and delays in getting help with their condition or symptoms.  

Communication gaps: Most of the UTC patients were positive about their interactions with staff.  However, those patients who had been seen at an A&E service were less positive about their contact with staff, with over one quarter feeling their condition or treatment had not been adequately explained to them, leaving them feeling less informed and involved in their care.  

Meeting patients’ needs: Just over a quarter of both A&E and UTC patients said staff did not help them to control their pain.  There were also gaps in relation to communication support needs – including the provision of translators or interpreters or easy read materials.

Younger people aged 16-35 were more likely to report a negative experience of urgent and emergency care services as were patients with a disability, and frail patients (A&E only). Frail and disabled patients reported worse experiences with regards to being listened to and were less likely to feel they were treated with respect and dignity while in A&E.

Post discharge care: There are gaps in relation to the management of follow-up health or social care.  Whilst 67% of A&E patients said they were given information on how to manage their condition on discharge, 33% of UTC patients were not.  Furthermore, nearly a third of patients who felt they needed a conversation about any further health or social care did not have those valuable conversations.  

Pressures

At the beginning of December 2024 data showed hospitals were experiencing significant pressures with ambulances facing long waits outside of A&E and 95% of hospital beds full.  There were also reports of some Trusts with patients waiting in corridors for urgent care.

Whilst frontline healthcare workers are trying their best in difficult circumstances, it’s clear that these kind of issues and pressures will adversely affect patient safety.

Moving forward

The data demonstrates how the stream of demand is continuing to drive lengthy waits, and cause difficultly for some patients in accessing information (including information regarding ongoing health and social care), emotional support and adequate pain relief.  

Whilst the CQC and NHS are working to address these issues by improving efficiency, staffing levels, and patient communication, governmental support is crucial to implement sustainable changes.  

Hannah Carr, a specialist medical negligence solicitor says that “It’s clear the NHS is facing significant issues, but without the continued feedback from patients through surveys and advocacy groups there is a significant risk to patient safety.”

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‍Medical negligence in urgent care and A&E departments can have severe consequences.  If you have concerns about the care that you or a loved one has received in urgent care or A&E, contact our specialist team of medical negligence lawyers