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‘Urgent’ changes needed to improve A&E

‘Urgent’ changes needed to improve A&E
6 November 2013



NHS leadership must pull together to tackle the A&E crisis, the College of Emergency Medicine has claimed. 
The College has released a document outlining the top 10 things that must be done to relieve pressure on emergency departments. 
Money should be spent “wisely and strategically”, as opposed to current systems which see over £120 million spent on emergency medicine locums last year alone. 

NHS leadership must pull together to tackle the A&E crisis, the College of Emergency Medicine has claimed. 
The College has released a document outlining the top 10 things that must be done to relieve pressure on emergency departments. 
Money should be spent “wisely and strategically”, as opposed to current systems which see over £120 million spent on emergency medicine locums last year alone. 
And the tariffs should be amended so that acute trusts are not penalised by each non-elective admission, the College said.
Dr Clifford Mann, president of the College of Emergency Medicine (CEM) said they have been warning about the pressures at A&E for over a year now. 
He said: “This crisis cannot be solved by us alone, we need urgent action by all stakeholders to work with us to provide a stable long-term future for A&E services while tackling the short-term immediate pressures. 
“Our proposals are the collective view of practicing emergency physicians, they represent cost-effective solutions to ensure we can deliver safe patient care.” 
Dr Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Association council said: “Rising demand and funding pressures together with a retention and recruitment crisis mean emergency departments are being stretched to breaking point. 
“The priorities outlined by the CEM highlight the importance of a system-wide approach to dealing with this crisis.” 
The paper is available to view on the College of Emergency Medicine website. 

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