RCS response to health committees inquiry into emergency care

‘The current structures for dealing with emergency patients need urgent modernisation. We therefore welcome the Health Committee’s call for immediate action to be taken across emergency care before the pressures of winter are upon us.

It is clear that the relentless pressure on our A&E service cannot continue, and we support the committee’s call for clearer information about the nature of the demand to support much needed change. This will help to end the impact of inappropriate admissions on the whole hospital. Reconfiguration of services is inevitable but must be evidence based; clinically rational and the public must be fully involved in the decision making process.

We know that recruitment in emergency care is in crisis, with a significant shortfall in senior trainees and consultants applying for jobs – due to the high-stress nature of the service and inadequate service. It vital that this is addressed by creating safe and sustainable working patterns that also allow good training environments to prosper and are attractive to the trainees of the future. This will be a huge step forward in reducing the amount of trainees rejecting emergency medicine in favour of other specialties.

Healthcare professionals across primary, secondary and community care settings must immediately work together to find innovative and sustainable solutions so that urgent cases can be dealt with and treated as quickly as possible in the right place. The surgical profession and this College will do all it can to help solve this overwhelming problem.’

Notes to editors

For more information, please contact the RCS press office on:

• 020 7869 6047/ 6052
• communications@rcseng.ac.uk
• Out-of-hours: 07966 486 832
• The Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to enabling surgeons to achieve and maintain the highest standards of surgical practice and patient care. Registered charity number: 212808