Overview
Urgent care incorporates all services which deal with patients who have unplanned, emergency or urgent health needs, including emergency departments, minor injury units, NHS 111, 999 and urgent care centres. We want to build a system based around the needs of individuals, providing care as close to home as possible, and reducing the demands on ambulances and emergency departments. In support of this, we want to provide enhanced support for people with long-term conditions so they can better manage their health, avoiding episodes of crisis care and the need for hospital visits.
Future plans
Our plans include:
- Enhancing support for frail, older people who might be at risk of having a hospital admission
- Helping people self-care or receive care from other services when the emergency department is not the most appropriate service for them
- Improving the way we are able to discharge people from hospital in order to create the necessary capacity for hospital beds
- Helping NHS111 route people to the most appropriate care for their individual needs.
