Press release: NHS Confederation responds to public accounts committee report on emergency care

30 Mar 2005

The NHS Confederation, which represents more than 90% of NHS organisations, welcomes today's report on emergency care by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.

Nigel Edwards, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation, said: "Emergency services as we know them are changing. There have been massive improvements in services in recent years, as demonstrated by the success in reducing waiting times for A&E services.

"At the same time, innovative models for delivering emergency care are being developed, for example co-locating primary care walk-in centres with A&E departments, or the use of emergency care networks. Practice is running ahead of policy in a number of places across the health service and the shape of A&E and urgent care is likely to change enormously in the next five years.

"Developing integrated emergency care services needs a supportive financial system as well as innovative action by trusts. We urge the Department of Health to develop the "Payment by Results" model for emergency care so that it offers an incentive for delivering integrated emergency care.

Nigel added: "The Committee's report rightly highlights the need for a nationally recognised framework for training of emergency care and nurse practitioners, so that NHS organisations can utilise the skills of their existing staff and give them more responsibility for treating patients."

Ends

Notes for editors

The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, foundation trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; NHS boards and special boards in Scotland; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

Contact details

Contact Media Relations Manager Matt Akid on 020 7074 3306 or Media Officer Chris Atkinson on 020 7074 3304.

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