In September 2008, the Ambulance Service Network prepared a briefing on the Healthcare Commission review of urgent and emergency care services in England.

In summary

The briefing looks at specific findings from the Healthcare Commission review published on 26 September 2008. These include:

• ambulance response times
• the proportion of ambulance journeys to A&E departments and the 'turnaround' times
• the unnecessary admission of some patients to hospital
• the need for information between urgent and emergency care services to be shared effectively
• 'Whole system' measures of patients' outcomes and experiences of urgent and emergency care services.
  
  

The briefing highlights some of the recommendations which include simplifying access to urgent care including piloting a new single number for urgent care calls.

Read the briefing.