A&E departments are a beacon to patients in need of emergency medical care. These departments offer guaranteed access 24 hours a day seven days a week to patients with a range of health needs.

There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to staffing an effective A&E service

The volume and complexity of patients continues to increase and NHS providers of these services are faced with significant challenges and cost pressures. To meet these challenges acute trusts are implementing initiatives to deliver safe, timely and high quality clinical care in A&E.

Key findings:

• The majority of trusts are losing money on their A&E services. Trusts are continuing to improve their efficiency, but fundamental problems remain on the funding of A&E and emergency services.
• Trusts with primary care or urgent care centres within their A&E departments have faster average treatment times.
• There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to staffing an effective A&E service.
• Risks and responsibility for avoiding emergency admissions should be more fairly shared between acute trusts and primary and community care.