Ambulance crews told to treat patients in road in bid to tackle overcrowding at A&E
THE AMBULANCE service will operate like the AA and treat patients at the roadside in a bid to tackle overcrowding in A&E.
Crews will treat people where they find them – rather than taking them to hospital – under a policy known as “see and treat”.
They have been reminded they should be “conveying patients to hospital only when this is clinically necessary”.
The move echoes the AA’s pledge to “always do our best to fix your vehicle by the roadside”, rather than towing them to a garage.
More patients will also be referred to GPs, walk-in centres, and pharmacists when they phone 999 to avoid dispatching an ambulance in the first place.
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NHS chief Simon Stevens revealed the plans in a letter to senior staff in which he said “concrete changes” are needed to prevent another winter meltdown.
It came as figures revealed hospitals experienced their worst month on record in January.
And only 66.7 per cent of ambulance responding to the most serious “red” calls arrived with in the eight minute target – well short of the 75 per cent standard.
There was also a leap in bed-blocking, with 197,054 bed days wasted in January this year compared to 159,641 in January 2016.
Every hospital will have to introduce “comprehensive front door streaming” by October, where doctors and nurses will assess how sick patients are.
It is hoped the move will keep away around 3million people a year who do not need to attend.
Medics will have to work harder to keep the 400,000 older people living in care homes in good health, so they don’t need to be admitted to hospital.
And evening and weekend GP appointments will be made available to everyone by March 2019.
John Appleby, from the Nuffield Trust health think tank, said: “These figures make dismal reading for the NHS and patients.
“The numbers of patients stuck on a trolley waiting for a hospital bed have gone through the roof. There are no guarantees that patients at A&E can expect let-up any time soon.”
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he expected the NHS to make “tangible progress” towards meeting the 95 per cent A&E target by next March.
He added: “NHS staff have worked exceptionally hard this winter.
“We have however seen a number of unacceptable cases of poor performance and patient care that cannot be repeated.
Chancellor Philip Hammond announced an extra £100million for A&E and£2billion social care during Wednesday's Budget.
“It is absolutely essential we get back to the 95 per cent target. That is critical for patient safety.”
Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke praised the plans, saying: “If a patient – like a car – can be treated at the point of injury or breakdown, it should keep the system running smoother for everybody.”
People who call the 111 non-emergency line will also be more likely to speak to a clinician, who will help to diagnose conditions and give advice over the phone.