CQC – Under pressure safely: managing increased demand in emergency departments (2018)

Summary

Winter 2017/18 saw an unprecedented demand for health and care support services. Emergency departments bore the brunt of this demand.

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) calls for wider action for health and social care services to work together. A joint approach will help the whole health and care system to manage capacity as demand grows.

The same approach can encourage early and effective planning - for all periods of peak demand.

Content

This report features practical solutions from staff. Frontline clinicians attended workshops to help highlight the issues and identify what needs to change to keep services safe when facing surges in demand.