THE NATIONAL Health Service says it “remains committed” to improving patient experience as it continues efforts to recover urgent and emergency care services.
In January last year, the NHS published a two-year plan in which it set out how to deal with the growing numbers of emergency patients–which are higher than ever before.
The NHS in the South East remains committed to improving patient experience as part of a national plan to help recover urgent and emergency care services.
The two-year plan, published by the NHS and government in January last year, was launched amid record demand for NHS services, with data at the time showing more A&E attendances than ever before; growing numbers of the most serious ambulance call outs; and millions of NHS 111 calls a month over winter.
Thanks to the continued efforts of NHS staff and others working in collaboration across the South East, more than 317,091 patients were seen and treated in urgent and emergency care services over the past year.
The south east has 32 urgent treatment centres which ease pressure on hospitals by allowing emergency departments to treat only the most serious cases and patients.
The number of minor injury units and walk-in centres, such as the one in the Broad Street Mall, has grown also, jumping to 28.
Virtual wards were also rolled out across the region, with 1,866 places created across 75 virtual ward services.
This service sees hospital ‘beds’ created by allowing some patients to undergo certain treatments from home, speeding up the rate of patients being discharged and reducing wait times for elective care.
A further 74 same-day emergency care services are now available across the south east to further alleviate pressure on hospitals, and 28 diagnostic centres have further freed up hospital resources.
When announced, proposals also included plans to bring more than 800 new ambulances across the country, constituting around 3.4 million more hours of emergency treatment, as well as adding 5,000 more sustainable hospital beds nation-wide.
NHS providers in the south east were allocated £16m to provide an additional 1,000 beds needed to help shorten waiting times in the region– a target reached nearly twice over through the virtual wards scheme.
Many virtual wards use technology like apps, wearables, and other medical devices to enable clinical staff to easily check in and monitor the person’s recovery in familiar surroundings, helping speed up their recovery while freeing up hospital beds for patients that need them most
Vaughan Lewis, NHS England South East’s medical director said: “Despite winter pressures, significant demand and junior doctor’s industrial action, the sheer volume of care delivered by NHS staff, both nationally and regionally for patients is impressive, with tens of thousands of people receiving safe, high quality urgent and emergency care.
“However, there is still a long way to go, and we know that the pressure is not going to ease while the impact of winter, including flu, Covid and other viruses are with us.
“The public should continue to come forward for the care they need, contacting their GP or 111 online with any health concerns and only using 999 and A&E in emergencies.”
