What?
A group of local GPs from Northwick Park Hospital and Harrow Health — a not-for-profit organisation based in Harrow – have been trialing a scheme that places medical professionals outside of an A&E department.
From December 2021, a GP and a nurse have been placed outside Northwick Park Hospital A&E (in North West London) to meet patients as they arrive at the front door. Patients are assessed as they arrive and are redirected to other services if they do not require urgent care. Administrative staff are also stationed outside the A&E front door and assist the GP and nurse with booking appointments for patients.
As many as 75 patients were redirected in a single day, for ailments that could easily be treated by a GP or a pharmacist. Whilst some patients presented with recurrent problems, such as back pain, one patient attended A&E because they had run out of Calpol(!). To date, over 700 patients have been redirected as a result of the pilot scheme.
The researchers calculated that the scheme could save the NHS up to 30 percent in costs and ease the current pressure on hospitals caused by COVID-19.
The pilot is operating until the end of March 2022, after which further results and analysis will be available.
Why?
People go to A&E because they know it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – it’s understandable to go to where the lights are on.
And, as we all know, A&E Departments are under huge pressure at the moment. In fact, a total of two million A&E attendances in England were recorded in November last year – up from 1.5 million in November 2020. This is due to a number of reasons, and there is no single cause. It can be very confusing to know where to go in the NHS to get best care, especially at weekends and out of hours.
As Dr Kanesh Rajani, chairman of Harrow Health and a GP himself, said:
“People go to A&E because they know it’s there. They know that they can access it easily, and they can be seen by a healthcare professional for the problem, but it may not be the most appropriate place for them.
The sorts of things people come in for – whether it be a shoulder problem or muscular injuries they’ve had for days or weeks, or a cough they’ve had for a long time, or vomiting and diarrhoea – they want help and advice but they may not know a pharmacist can help them or their local GP.”
How (does it affect you)?
Currently it does not affect you, unless you live in that part of London. However, if the model is copied in the rest of the country, it could improve your local care. GPs will be able to redirect you if your type of problem is best dealt with somewhere else, with an appointment ready and waiting for you.
A report on A&E waiting times in England carried out by NHS Digital in 2019 found that around 10% of people who attend A&E are discharged without any treatment, and a further 30% receive guidance or advice only. In other words, A&E was probably the wrong place to go for 40% of people.
Each trip to A&E – even before any specialist treatment – can cost the NHS up to £400
But there may be better places to go to get rapid health care, especially out of hours. These include Walk-in Centres and Minor Injury Units, both of which can be open 8am-8pm seven days a week. Calling NHS 111 for advice is another option.
Always attend A&E if you are very unwell.
Check out more tips here from myHSN on how to get good care at weekends and out of hours.
As ever, best wishes from myHSN!
