Funds for next winter will ease pressure on accident and emergency (A&E) departments in England
The Department of Health announced on 21 April 2017 the allocation of £55.98 million of the £100 million A&E capital funding, outlined in the spring Budget by the Chancellor, to ease pressure on emergency departments in time for next winter. The funding awarded at this stage is being allocated to 70 NHS hospitals.
Guildford’s Royal Surrey County Hospital will benefit from £1million, which will be used to create a dedicated area following nurse streaming in A&E where primary care clinicians will be able to see appropriate patients. The build will create three dedicated clinic GP rooms, a waiting area for patients and a small reception area.
Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey said: “This is welcome news to help the Royal Surrey cope with the increasing pressures we are seeing over winters. The A & E team do a brilliant job and when this support is combined with the extra budget money for social care I am really hopeful we will see a very different picture at the end of this year.’
The funding will be used by hospitals to meet the 95% standard of admitting, transferring, or discharging patients within 4 hours by ensuring patients are treated in the most appropriate setting.
The plans outlined by trusts include primary care streaming and co-locating GP practices within A&E departments to ensure patients are treated in the most appropriate setting.
This investment is one part of the A&E plan being implemented across the NHS this year to get performance to 95% during 2018.