CQC report finds emergency care across West Yorkshire under ‘continued pressure’

The Care Quality Commission has said improvements are needed to reduce pressure on emergency and urgent care across West Yorkshire.

 

Inspectors found that services were under ‘continued pressure’ and people had experienced delays accessing emergency care as a result.  The report also found that there were issues with capacity and staffing, while some services had struggled to meet demand.

 

The region’s health bosses said they were “committed” to improving the system.

 

The CQC, which was looking at the county’s Integrated Care Systems, inspected more than 15 individual services across the region, including GP surgeries, care services, Bradford Royal Infirmary and Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

 

The CQC’s director of operations network Ann Ford, said “During the urgent and emergency care inspections across West Yorkshire, staff were working hard under sustained pressure.

 

“It was reassuring that leaders were working together to support their workforce and to identify opportunities where improvements could be made.

 

“However, people continued to experience delays in accessing care and treatment.”

 

In response to the inspection, Dr Adam Sheppard, Chair of West Yorkshire Urgent and Emergency Care Board, said it had been helpful to work with the CQC, adding “Their reflections on areas of good practice and good relationships with coordinated action are reassuring, and it is also notable that they highlight consistent pressure, staffing and social care capacity as issues in West Yorkshire, as these feature consistently in most areas across the country as challenges that need to be addressed.

 

“We are acutely aware of the challenges faced by our staff and by local people and are absolutely committed to working together across the whole of the system to better join up care, and to deliver safe care for all.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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