National Consultation on Urgent Care

You may be aware from local and National media that NHS Urgent and Emergency Care services are under increasing pressure and whilst the picture locally  does not reflect huge rises in demand upon A&E  seen in other areas both Clinical Commissioning groups  in partnership with local providers  want to improve the urgent and emergency care system so patients get safe and effective care whenever they need it.  

Earlier this year the NHS Medical Director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh announced a National review into the way the NHS responds to and receives emergency patients, called the Urgent and Emergency Care Review..  Locally both Clinical Commissioning Groups  are extremely keen that we have a strong Shropshire and Telford  stakeholder  voice into this review. 

The review is looking to draw on the experience of patients and all professionals in the NHS and across social care, and   we want to raise everyone’s attention to a survey that is currently being conducted by NHS England. This represents an opportunity for all local patients and professional stakeholders to have a place where they can voice their opinion by taking part in an online  survey  consisting of a  quick and simple questionnaire as well as the opportunity to provide more detailed feedback. 

The consultation is open now and runs until 11th August, 

Please access the Urgent and Emergency Care Review here       www.england.nhs.uk/uec-england

This will take you to the main web page where there are further documents and information as well as contact details for provision of documents in different formats 

NHS England commit to use the comments received in their steering group to revise the evidence base, and strengthen the emerging principles. This will help NHS England decide how urgent and emergency care services should be designed and set up in the future.  NHS England will publish a revised evidence base and the principles for these services in Autumn 2013. 

In addition your comments will be used to develop a national planning framework for urgent and emergency care.  Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Telford and Wrekin Commissioning Group will use this framework to organise  local urgent and emergency care services taking into account local issues and patient needs.

I would strongly encourage you to complete a survey  and offer opinions and equally importantly  to forward this email to colleagues / other patients groups / individuals  in order that  local views and learning are  fed into the National Agenda.

Contact: 

Tracey

Tracey Jones

Programme Director Urgent Care

On behalf of Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin CCGs

07778135826