NHSE tells trusts to ‘immediately stop all ambulance handover delays’

• ·        Trusts told to identify actions to “immediately stop all delays”
• ·        Letter calls for issue to be discussed at every board meeting
• ·        It follows concern over harm to patients from delays

Trusts and integrated care systems are being told by NHS England and Improvement to take urgent action to ”immediately stop all delays” to ambulance handovers, which will require “difficult choices”.

A letter yesterday from NHS England’s medical director, director for emergency and elective care, and its regional directors was sent to all local chief executives and chairs yesterday.

It also says they should discuss the issue of ambulance handovers at every board meeting they hold, warns that “corridor care” is “unacceptable as a solution”, and says ambulances should not be used as “additional ED cubicles”.

The move comes amid signs of large numbers of very long handover delays, and concern about the risk to patients from this and the knock-on damage to ambulance response times.

Read the full article here (paywalled)
Original source: Health Service Journal