New programme to reduce Accident and Emergency waiting times

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NHS Argyll & Clyde is participating in the national three-year long Unscheduled Care Collaborative programme to reduce emergency waiting times in hospitals to a maximum of four hours - unscheduled health care is care that cannot be planned because the onset of illness or injury is sudden.

The programme aims to reduce waits and delays in accident and emergency departments, assessment units, acute receiving areas and minor injury units.

Dr Frank Westerduin, lead clinician for the programme, said:

“The main aim of this programme is to reduce the time that patients wait for treatment through improving access to those patients attending hospital for all types of unscheduled care.

“Over the course of this programme we will be identifying those changes that can be made to reduce waiting times so that we can achieve the Scottish Executive’s target of ensuring that patients will wait no longer than a maximum of four hours by the end of December 2007.

“Staff from all parts of the health service such as acute, primary and community care, as well as the voluntary sector, are involved with local communities in redesigning the way that things are done both in and out of hospital to help reduce these waiting times for patients.

“The actual causes of waits and delays are being investigated and we are also continually testing ways of making the systems work better and we hope to ensure that the changes that make the most difference are put in place as widely and quickly as possible.

“If patients, carers and members of the public would like to share their suggestions with us or become involved in the ongoing work then they can contact Marna Murney on 0141 314 7132 for more information or they can alternatively email nhsac.ucc@rah.scot.nhs.uk.”

Press Release: Thursday 30 March 2006