Evaluating the introduction of the Redesign of Urgent Care.
Patients using a new service to direct people to the right urgent
care service had a mostly positive experience, a new report has
found.
An evaluation of the Redesign of Urgent Care, which was launched
in December 2020, found that people given appointments at A&E
or minor injuries via NHS 24 111 reported shorter waits than
those who visited A&E without an appointment.
The report also found an increased use of NHS 24 111 service
during weekday in-hours, reduced unplanned attendances to
Emergency Departments and fewer ambulance callouts and trips to
hospital, noting there are several factors that may have
contributed to these changes.
The report recommends, supporting NHS 24 to reduce call waiting
times calls, improving the availability and capacity of
alternative services available via flow navigation centres– which
direct people to the most appropriate service for their health
and care needs- and continuing to provide public messaging
on when to call 111.
The Scottish Government is working with boards to drive
improvements in how health care services are accessed.
Health Secretary said:
“I welcome this report which gives us some valuable insight into
how we can improve the way the health service manages demand for
urgent care services. We know there is still work to do, but it
is encouraging that this evaluation found patient experience of
the Redesign of Urgent Care was largely positive, and that people
given appointments experienced shorter waits. I thank all the
staff involved in this important piece of work.
“Work is already underway to implement the recommendations of
this report, including increasing staff numbers at NHS 24. This
winter there are a record number of NHS 24 call handlers
available to direct people to the most appropriate care, helping
reduce unnecessary A&E attendances. Our Right Care Right
Place campaign, launched ahead of winter, is continuing to give
guidance to the public on the best way to access services, and I
thank everyone who is following that advice.
“The Scottish Government's draft Budget, if passed by parliament,
will provide a record £21 billion for health and social care,
including £200 million to reduce waiting lists and improve
capacity further. All of this will help to improve the flow of
patients through hospital, and reduce pressures on urgent care. I
urge parliament to back the Budget Bill.”
Background
Technical Report: Redesign
of Urgent Care Evaluation - gov.scot
More information on the
Redesign of Urgent Care.
