Experiences of people using urgent and emergency care services

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have published results from a survey which looked at the experiences of people using type 1 and type 3 urgent and emergency services. 

Type 1: services include A&E departments, and may also be known as casualty or emergency departments.

Type 3: services include urgent treatment centres, and may also be known as minor injury units

Interactions with staff

84% of patients who used Type 3 services said health professionals ‘definitely’ listened to what they had to say.

80% of Type 3 patients ‘definitely’ had enough time to discuss their condition with a health professional, although lower than 85% in 2020.

79% of Type 3 patients ‘definitely’ had confidence and trusts in health professionals, although lower than 82% in 2020.

Privacy

88% of Type 3 patients said they were ‘definitely’ given enough privacy when being examined and treated, although lower than 91% in 2020.

Key areas for improvement include:

• Patients experienced longer waiting times than previous years, with 17% of Type 1 patients waiting more than 4 hours to be examined compared with 4% in 2020.
• While they were waiting to be treated or examined, 56% of Type 1 patients who reported that they needed help said that they were unable to get help with their condition or symptoms from a member of staff, compared with 45% in 2020.
• 46% of Type 1 patients said that a member of staff ‘completely’ told them about what symptoms to watch for regarding their illness or treatment when they went home, compared with 53% in 2020.
• Younger people, people whose attendance lasted more than four hours, people identified as frail, disabled people and people who had recently visited the same A&E consistently reported poorer experiences of Type 1 services.