'People want a system that works': New plans to change urgent and emergency care in Doncaster
NHS proposals which aim to drastically improve Doncaster’s patient experience in urgent and emergency care are in need of public feedback.
The new plans aim to better triage patients to the right places, whether that be accident & emergency, minor injuries or other NHS facilities.
Fran Joel, chief executive of Healthwatch Doncaster, said: “The hope will be that you walk in and are triaged in the first place and you aren’t sitting and waiting for a doctor.
“They may suggest getting an appointment with your doctor, or going to minor injuries, or to emergency health care. You will have one place to go, not being passed around the system.
“It will keep people out of A&E, helping them be more efficient in other places and hopefully reducing waiting times in A&E.”
“We did a short survey over what people want. What we got back was that they wanted a system that worked,” she added.
Healthwatch Doncaster are seeking feedback on the plans to better organise emergency care.
A diagram included in the survey shows how patients may be triaged, whether they call 111, 999 or walk into an “urgent treatment centre”.
Ms Joel says it is believed this new system will put people in the right places for their needs, ensuring Accident & Emergency departments are not filled with patients needing simple GP appointments, or would benefit better from minor injuries treatment.
The NHS website says minor injuries units can treat broken bones, wounds or lacerations, minor burns, sprains and much more – offering services such as stitches, X-Rays and plaster casts.
Healthwatch Doncaster’s feedback survey is live on the organisation’s website.
“Please get in touch with us,” Ms Joel said, “We want to make sure that this service is accessible to all people. We need to hear your voice.”