Urgent and Emergency Care
The core standard for urgent and emergency care (UEC) is that patients should be seen, discharged or admitted from A&E within four hours. The national target for 24/25 is 78% of patients being seen and discharged within the 4-hour timeframe, by March 2025.
Despite some challenges throughout the year, Lincolnshire continues to work collaboratively to achieve the target and although under plan currently is meeting the National Average and is back to 2021 levels.
Our priorities
- attendance avoidance – signposting to all of the alternatives available
- admission avoidance
- reduction in length of stay – discharge on admission planning
- Reducing ambulance handover times
What we are doing?
Patient flow and discharge
The System wide work on patient flow and discharge continues with a focus on early identification of patients who will require support on discharge and a review of our current transfer of care hub model.
This work is closely linked to the system work focussed on development of an Intermediate Care Strategy for Lincolnshire.
Grantham Urgent Treatment Centre
Grantham Urgent Treatment Centre has now been operational for more than a year; it is open 24 /7 and receives patients who walk in as well as booked appointments via 111 and ambulance conveyances that are clinically appropriate. Find out more about Urgent Treatment Centres – Lincolnshire.
WaitLess App
Along with all other UTCs it is profiled on the Waitless app that gives patients in Lincolnshire the ability to look for their nearest UTC and opening times plus the current wait times at the time of viewing. The app also gives a summary of the type of care offered at the facility allowing patients the opportunity to make sure they attend the right facility. Download the WaitLess App.
Urgent Community Response Service
The Urgent Community Response Service continues to support people to remain in their own home, responding to their needs within 2 hours. The Health Care Professional Single Point of Access (HCP SPA) is now in place and supports professionals across the system to access services that support patients either at home or by direct access to services. Find out more about the Urgent Community Response Service :: Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust.
Ambulance handover model
A 45-minute ambulance handover model commenced at Lincoln County Hospital in March, which aims to further reduce handover delays, and implemented at Pilgrim Hospital Boston in April. Due to the work already done on handover processes over the year, the initial levels of performance were positive with >90% of ambulances at Lincoln County Hospital being handed over in less than 45 minutes.
Further work is undertaken through meetings to provide a system wide forum for partners to work collaboratively on alternative pathways for patients who do not necessarily require A&E services when an ambulance is called. This is to ensure that patients can be signposted to appropriate services such as GP, pharmacy or community services for support and reduce unnecessary time spent within A&E or UTCs.