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Showing results for tags 'Accident and Emergency'.
Found 434 results
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News Article
Patients waiting 10 minutes for 999 calls to be answered
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Some people calling 999 are having to wait up to 10 minutes before their call is answered. Staff have warned patients may be coming to harm, and may be even dying as a result of the delays and with paramedics also reporting it's taking as long as 24 hours for some ambulances to reach patients. One paramedic has told The Independent, “We are stacking over 500 jobs, with patients waiting hours for an ambulance response. That includes elderly vulnerable people who have fallen but only merit a category three, so their calls are routinely pushed further and further down the queue. In the last few days, I've been to patients waiting 11 or 13 hours. And just to be clear: this is not the hospitals’ fault. The system is profoundly broken.” Read full story. Source: The Independent, 22 July 2021 -
News Article
London Ambulance Service declares incident as 999 calls surge
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
The London Ambulance service declared a 'business continuity incident' on Monday after a surge in 999 calls. Paramedics were told the ambulance service was under extreme demand after the calls threatened to overwhelm the service. The announcement was made after more than 400 calls were made in a single hour during Monday afternoon. “Yesterday we saw high levels of demand for our services and used tested processes to care for our patients – this allowed some people with the least urgent care needs to be treated through alternative routes" said a London Ambulance Service spokesperson. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 20 July 2021 -
News Article
Greater Manchester hospitals ‘forced to provide extra critical care beds’
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Hospital waiting lists across the country could hit 13 million in the months to come. Reports have found Manchester Hospitals are having to provide extra beds for critical care patients as the number of people coming in has surged. Hospitals are struggling to cope due to increase in patients attending hospitals in the city a reports the Manchester Evening News. The “number of people attending emergency departments across Greater Manchester has seen a significant increase in recent weeks” and that assistance from hospitals in other parts of the country was “part of our usual processes”, a spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership has said. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 15 July 2021 -
News Article
Ambulance trusts on 'black alert'
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
999 calls soar as patients experience record waiting times in the back of ambulances. The Independent has seen a leaked brief from the West Midlands Ambulance Service and has found patients have been waiting for hours outside hospitals, meaning ambulances could not respond to any emergency 999 calls. Ambulance staff have also faced hours of delays resulting in at least four hours or more at the end of their 12 hour shift. The briefing in June said "“This current situation is unacceptable and leads to fatigue, poor morale, has impacts on patient safety and potentially non-compliance with the Working Time Directive.” Read full story. Source: The Independent, 9 July 2021 -
News Article
Manchester Royal Infirmary under major pressures
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Staff at Manchester's Royal Infirmary have said they are facing mounting pressures amid staff shortages and increasingly long waiting lists in A&E. Doctors and nurses have said they were told a 'major incident' was declared, however, it was then reduced to an internal incident in an attempt to avoid 'bad press'. A clinician has said A&E patients are now regularly waiting over 8 to 10 hours overnight due to an increasing influx of patients and a surge in children attending A&E. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 26 June 2021 -
News Article
Young children in A&E with mild winter viruses
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
It has been reported Accident and Emergency are seeing record numbers of young children being brought in with mild winter viruses, overwhelming the department. Experts have said it is unlikely to be serious and that people should seek to speak with their GP, pharmacist or NHS 111 as the first port of call, but that A&E is an option if parents are worried it could be an emergency. It has emerged that most of the children are under the age of five and it may be that as lockdown has been easing and people are mixing, winter viruses are reappearing. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 25 June 2021 -
News Article
"Black alert" declared by Barnsley Hospital
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Barnsley Hospital declares 'black alert' as their A&E becomes overwhelmed with patients. The hospital has seen more than 300 patients in one day, putting pressure on staff to free up beds. It has been understood that the surge in numbers is due to other illnesses and not Covid-19 related. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 22 June 2021 -
News Article
Patient safety threat: A&E swapped by record high numbers
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Hospitals around the UK are facing record numbers of patients coming into A&E, overwhelming the service. New records have been set, surpassing that of the worst days in the winter of 2019. Concerns over patient safety have been raised amid fears lives may be lost. It has been revealed by doctors working in A&E that patients are waiting to be seen as long as nine hours and the increased influx of people needing urgent treatment is putting more pressure on hospital beds. There are also reports of growing levels of violence towards medical staff from frustrated public. Dr Adrian Boyle has said "there is no quick fix" and that the increased pressure and violence from members of the public have created a "toxic work environment". Read full story. Source: The Independent, 20 June 2021 -
News Article
NHS England gives green light to scrap four-hour A&E target
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS England is pushing ahead with plans to replace the NHS’s four-hour emergency target with a new set of 10 metrics, it has announced today. The announcement follows a consultation launched in December on its latest proposals, although any final plans will still require government signoff (see box below for the 10 new metrics). NHSE/I said in a press release: “In an NHS consultation four out of five respondents said they would welcome a bundle of measures. The specific proposals were endorsed by two thirds, 67%, of respondents and opposed by just 13%.” However, NHSE/I said in a report on the proposals that it had not yet been established how the new basket of metrics would be used as a performance measure and that the proposals still needed government sign-off. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 26 May 2021 -
News ArticleResearch has found that people who go to A&E following self-harm receive varying quality of care and this has a significant impact on what they experience subsequently. The study in BMJ Open, which was codesigned and co-authored with people who have lived experience of self-harm and mental health services, found negative experiences were common, and revealed stigmatising comments about injuries from some hospital staff. Some participants reported being refused medical care or an anaesthetic because they had harmed themselves. This had a direct impact on their risk of repeat self-harm and suicide risk, as well as their general mental health. According to the research, the participants who received supportive assessments with healthcare staff reported feeling better, less suicidal and were less likely to repeat self- harm. "This research highlights the importance of learning from the experiences of individuals to help improve care for people who have harmed themselves. We involved patients and carers throughout the entire process and this enabled us to gain a greater insight into what patients want after they present to hospital having harmed themselves", said Dr Leah Quinlivan. Read full story Source: University of Manchester, 25 May 2021
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News Article
Social care cuts mean thousands with dementia taken to A&E, charity says
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Tens of thousands of people with dementia are taken to hospital each year for emergency admission because inadequate social care has left them unprotected from infections, falls and dehydration, an investigation has found. There has been a 27% increase over a four-year period in avoidable illnesses and injuries caused by failures in care for those living with dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Society. “This news comes just under a week after the Queen’s speech frustratingly made only a brief mention of the prime minister’s promise nearly two years ago to deliver a clear plan for social care reform, a devastating blow for the 850,000 people living with dementia, worst hit by coronavirus,” said Kate Lee, chief executive officer at Alzheimer’s Society. The charity found that nearly two-thirds of dementia emergency admissions could have been avoided. It blames cuts in social care budgets and warned that worse is to come. Launched to mark Dementia Action Week, the charity’s investigation also found that nearly three-quarters of family carers said loved ones with dementia had experienced preventable medical issues because of lack of support. One in nine had been taken to hospital. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 17 May 2021 -
News Article
Ambulance crews in England to use iPads to assess accident and stroke victims
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Ambulance crews will start using iPads to send photographs of accident and stroke victims to specialist hospital doctors so that they can make rapid diagnoses and save some patients a trip to A&E. NHS England is giving 30,000 iPads to regional ambulance services to help paramedics decide what care to give and whether to take someone to hospital or treat them at the scene. The tablet computers will be a vital link between ambulance crews and hospital consultants, whose digital interaction will make treatment faster and better, NHS England said. For example, the devices will let paramedics show an A&E department how badly injured patients have been in a road traffic crash, so that they can prepare for their arrival. They will also allow crews access to patients’ medical records to help them build a better picture of their health. “Ambulance crews have been at the forefront of the pandemic, routinely dealing with life-and-death situations and often first on scene to treat and diagnose critically ill patients,” said Sir Simon Stevens, NHS England’s chief executive. “These devices are another tool for our highly skilled paramedics and ambulance technicians as they continue to respond to the country’s most critically ill and injured patients.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 18 May 2021 -
EventuntilThis is the third in a series of online lectures organised by the International Shared Decision Making Society (ISDM). This lecture will be hosted by Kristen Pecanac, UW-Madison School of Nursing. Join the webinar
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EventuntilThis face-to-face event by The Royal College of Emergency Medicine will look at research around burnout and other psychological impacts of working in the emergency department. It will feature talks from clinicians promoting staff wellbeing and explore opportunities to work with the Sustainable Working Practice Committee. View the event programme Book this event. Reduced fees are available for RCEM members and student members LMIC clinicians and students.
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Event
Urgent and emergency care
Sam posted an event in Community Calendar
untilWhat is next for urgent and emergency care across the country? With the COVID-19 pandemic transforming service delivery and reshaping what was once thought possible, the next challenge is to consider the state of urgent and emergency care services as another difficult winter approaches. Despite moves away from hospital-based care towards alternative solutions, urgent and emergency care is still under great pressure. Join this King's Fund event to hear about the latest debates and solutions to a very challenging issue: trying to ease the pressure on urgent and emergency care delivery. You will hear evidence-based examples from areas that are trying to re-imagine A&E departments and other services that provide and support urgent treatments, so patients get the right care in the right place. You will hear from international speakers, national leaders and a host of experts on a range of questions. The transition to 111: has it really happened, and has it yielded the anticipated results? What does the new integrated care systems structure have in store for urgent and emergency care? How should we shape targets and measure what works in urgent and emergency care? How can we support highly trained staff and avoid burn-out? Register -
EventuntilMany clinicians are involved in the complex care of the trauma patient from the pre-hospital arena through the Emergency Department and often into theatre and critical care. Interventions at all these stages could reduce Nociception and pain in order to facilitate recovery and rehabilitation for survivors. In this two-part Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) webinar series, hear about innovative approaches that cover the entire patient journey rather than only focusing on a single specialty. This thought provoking webinar is an opportunity for 'traumatogist' as well as the generalist to learn how to limit the long-term burden of painful trauma and its early treatment. Register
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EventA Westminster Health Forum policy conference with: Dr Clifford Mann, National Clinical Director, Urgent and Emergency Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement Dr Katherine Henderson, President, Royal College of Emergency Medicine Jessica Morris, Nuffield Trust; Dr Nick Scriven, The Society of Acute Medicine; Sandie Smith, Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; and Deborah Thompson, NHS Acute Frailty and Ambulatory Emergency Care Networks and NHS Elect Delegates will discuss key developments and challenges in the context of service changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan. Register
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Content Article
National ambulance data (to end May 2022)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Data and insight
Report from the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives on national ambulance data. -
Content ArticleOver the past year, delays in transferring patients from an ambulance to a hospital have risen exponentially. In April 2022 there were over 41,000 delays of over 60 minutes, up over a staggering 450 per cent in 12 months. This equates to 71,000 hours lost, with a significant risk of harm to patients, even though the proportion being taken to hospital by ambulance has fallen thanks to successful initiatives such as “hear and treat” and “see and treat”. These delays mean that, too often, ambulance crews are not able to respond to 999 calls from critically ill patients. Instead they are being held in “stacks” of hundreds each day – as ambulance control room teams strive to prioritise overstretched resources. The current reality is that crews are often waiting with patients in hospital corridors or outside, hearing urgent calls to which they are unable to respond. In addition to the direct impact on patients, this is incredibly demoralising, even traumatising, for many staff involved. So why is this happening? In an article for the Independent, Daren Mochrie, chair of AACE – the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, and Saffron Cordrey, interim chief executive at NHS Provider, discusses what is happening in the NHS.
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Content ArticleEmergency Department (ED) patient waiting times provide an important barometer for the wider pressures experienced in the NHS. There are currently alarming levels of crowding in our EDs, indicating that the health service is unable to meet the needs of patients with the current level of resource and capacity. In March 2022, for the first time in the history of the metric, the numbers of patients waiting 12-hours or more from decision to admit (DTA) exceeded 20,000. However the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) argue that this number represents the tip of iceberg, as far greater numbers of patients experience extreme waits of 12 hours or more from their time of arrival. To investigate this issue further, RCEM carried out a Freedom of Information (FOI) request examining the extent of very long stays in EDs, with a particular focus on the numbers of patients waiting 12 hours or more from their time of arrival. They found that the current 12-hour data is a gross underrepresentation of the reality of patient waits, as it fails to capture the vast majority of patients who have no choice but to spend extended lengths of time in EDs. It additionally conceals the patients who are discharged home after very long stays.
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Content ArticleDr Gordon Hay, service director of A&E/urgent care services at Moorfields Eye Hospital discusses with Digital Health the challenge to minimising hospital visits during the pandemic and how Moorfields Eye Hospital utilised a video conference platform to implement a fully functional virtual A&E service, providing an effective hybrid care delivery model for the future.
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Content ArticleAlexander James Davidson was aged 17 years and 6 months when he died at the Queens Medical Centre on 26 February 2018. Alex was previously fit and well before suddenly taking ill with abdominal pain on 17 January 2018. Between that date and his admission to the Queens Medical Centre on 8 February 2018, Alex made contact with his GP on three occasions, had four telephone triage assessments undertaken by the NHS 111 service and two admissions to his local Accident & Emergency Department at the Kingsmill Hospital. Alex’s symptoms of sudden onset acute abdominal pain, tachycardia, and vomiting and diarrhoea were attributed either to stress or to a bout of gastroenteritis. At no stage prior to 8 February 2018 was gallstones or pancreatitis considered as a differential diagnosis. When Alex was eventually admitted to the Queens Medical Centre Emergency Department on 8 February 2018, he was found to be septic as a result of an infected and necrotic pancreatic pseudocyst, which had evolved as a complication of gallstone pancreatitis, a rare condition in someone of Alex’s age. Despite medical intervention, Alex did not survive. The inquest explored the medical treatment and intervention that Alex received in the six weeks prior to his death. The medical evidence concluded that the pancreatic pseudocyst had likely formed by the time Alex began vomiting on 18 January 2018, and from that point onwards, it was unlikely he would survive even with treatment on account of the high mortality rate associated with this condition
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Content ArticleThis report by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) examines the quality of care provided to patients aged 16 years and over who were admitted to hospital following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The report is based on the findings of a study that looked at the clinical care delivered to patients from the time of an OHCA to discharge from hospital or death. The review of the clinical pathway included the community and emergency service response, hospital admission and inpatient care (in particular cardiac and critical care services). Data were also collected to assess organisational aspects of care within acute hospitals.
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Content ArticleAre you applying Safety-II principles to improve safety in maternity, A&E, ICU or anaesthetics? If so, Dr Ruth Baxter would love to interview you!
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Content ArticleThe pandemic has had an enormous impact on health and care services in the UK. In this article, Nuffield Trust fellows Jessica Morris and Sarah Reed take a closer look at access and waiting times before and after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. They highlight that before the pandemic, pressure on the system was already reducing access to NHS services and making waiting times longer. Covid-19 has made the situation significantly worse due to the need for heightened infection control practices, rising levels of staff sickness and burnout, the cancellation of routine care and redirection of staff. Enabling services to recover will be challenging given these ongoing pressures and real-term budget cuts for the NHS this year. The article examines the impact of the pandemic on waiting times relating to: General practice Elective (planned) care Diagnostic testing Cancer care A&E Ambulance
