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Accident and Emergency

Suspension of Quarterly A&E data return

Initial findings, following the closure of the Fundamental Review of Data Returns consultation, suggest that any user needs for the quarterly A&E publication are outweighed by the data burden on the NHS. Pending the conclusion of the review and the publication of the Department's response to the consultation, this return will be suspended from 1st January 2012. In the event that the Department's final response should conclude that this collection should continue, this return will be re-instated. The Department will continue to publish weekly data on A&E attendances and waiting times.

A&E Attendances

The total number of attendances for all A & E types, including Minor Injury Units and Walk-in Centres. Accident and Emergency attendances include both first and unplanned follow-up attendances. The data provided is split between these two types.

Total Time Spent in A&E

The total time spent in A & E - measured from the time the patient arrives in A & E to the time the patient leaves the A&E department (by admission to hospital, transfer to another organisation or discharge).

The previous government had a target that no-one should wait more than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.  An operational standard of 98% was employed for assessment up to and including quarter 1 of 2010/11.

The revised Operating Framework for NHS in England 2010-11 came out in June. It announced the 4hr standard would be replaced by a set of clinical quality indicators in April 2011. It also outlined that the operational standard would be changed to 95% upon clinical advice with immediate effect.

Emergency Admissions Through A&E

This data counts A & E admissions through type 1 (major) A & E departments. The data also shows the waiting times for emergency hospital admissions. Emergency hospital admissions are measured from the time a decision is made to admit the patient, to the time the patient is given a bed on a ward.

Contact Us

You can obtain further details by contacting the Accident and Emergency team at the following address:

Accident and Emergency Team
Knowledge & Intelligence
NHS Finance,Performance & Operations
Department of Health
Room 4E40
Quarry House
Leeds LS2 7UE
Great Britain

Phone: 0113 254 6314
Fax: 0113 254 5520

Statistician: Paul Steele

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