• Healthwatch England has published a new report on the clinical review of standards, which highlights what matters to people using A&E.
• Across their research, they found that the message is that time alone does not dictate how people feel about their experience.
• Other things which may impact their experience includes the quality of clinical care received, quality and frequency of communication and the attitude of staff.
• The report recommends a staggered approach to the roll-out of any new standards.
  
  

Responding to Healthwatch England’s report on the NHS clinical review of standards, the director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, Miriam Deakin said:

“This new research shines a light on what matters to patients and illustrates that the time spent waiting before treatment is not the only factor which affects peoples’ experiences of A&E.

“It is right for patient experience to feature prominently in shaping any new metrics in the NHS in order to help deliver the high-quality care that people deserve.

We also welcome the report’s recommendation that any new A&E targets are phased in as to ensure trusts have the right support, infrastructure and resources in place to help implement changes.

Miriam Deakin    Co-Director of Development and Engagement

“We also welcome the report’s recommendation that any new A&E targets are phased in as to ensure trusts have the right support, infrastructure and resources in place to help implement changes. And that the current standard should be phased out over time to allow for full transparency around the level of care the public are receiving.

“As we await the publication of the findings of the clinical review of standards, it is worth remembering that access standards fulfil a number of functions in the NHS. This includes providing accountability to the public and acting as a proxy for quality, supporting operational management and acting as measures of regulation. In our view any proposed changes to the standards must also take these multiple roles into account.

“Above all, research such as this supports the broad debate across the public, and the health and care sector, that is needed to inform proposals for change.”