Walk-in centres fail to take pressure off emergency services in Englan
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《英国医生杂志》
New schemes such as walk-in centres that were developed with the aim of taking the pressure off emergency services in England are not working, says a report from the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts.
More people than ever attend accident and emergency services or seek emergency care from their GP, and although most patients are being seen within the target of four hours, emergency services need to be modernised and more coordinated to meet patients' needs better, according to the report.
On an average day in the NHS 34 700 people attend accident and emergency departments and 11 700 need transfer by ambulance to hospital.
This demand has not changed since the creation of a range of open access services for minor injury and illness, says the committee. Although these alternative services have been largely welcomed, they have mainly addressed a previously unmet need rather than taking pressure off existing services, the committee says.
The report praises the establishment of emergency care networks as "a promising development." However, these cross organisational and multidisciplinary groups lack the authority and funding to fulfil their remit to lead on the delivery of local emergency care, and this needs to change.
The report also recommends that the government defines a standard curriculum for emergency care practitioners and emergency nurse practitioners, who are taking more and more responsibility for treating patients. Staff shortages need to be addressed, so that all patients are seen within four hours and are not kept waiting for specialist opinion or diagnostic tests, as currently happens.
Edward Leigh MP, chairman of the committee, said: "Shortages of specialist staff mean that key patient groups, such as older people and patients with mental health problems, are still waiting the longest."(Zosia Kmietowicz)
More people than ever attend accident and emergency services or seek emergency care from their GP, and although most patients are being seen within the target of four hours, emergency services need to be modernised and more coordinated to meet patients' needs better, according to the report.
On an average day in the NHS 34 700 people attend accident and emergency departments and 11 700 need transfer by ambulance to hospital.
This demand has not changed since the creation of a range of open access services for minor injury and illness, says the committee. Although these alternative services have been largely welcomed, they have mainly addressed a previously unmet need rather than taking pressure off existing services, the committee says.
The report praises the establishment of emergency care networks as "a promising development." However, these cross organisational and multidisciplinary groups lack the authority and funding to fulfil their remit to lead on the delivery of local emergency care, and this needs to change.
The report also recommends that the government defines a standard curriculum for emergency care practitioners and emergency nurse practitioners, who are taking more and more responsibility for treating patients. Staff shortages need to be addressed, so that all patients are seen within four hours and are not kept waiting for specialist opinion or diagnostic tests, as currently happens.
Edward Leigh MP, chairman of the committee, said: "Shortages of specialist staff mean that key patient groups, such as older people and patients with mental health problems, are still waiting the longest."(Zosia Kmietowicz)