Purpose
There continues to be an increasing trend of A&E attendances in children aged 0-4 years, with a higher demand during winter season, thus increasing activity on winter pressure. Hounslow A&E attendances in the 0-4 year group are higher than the London and England averages at 1,433 per 1,000 (2022/23).
A task and finish group will bring together a multidisciplinary team with the aim of developing recommendations to tackle nonessential A&E attendance, and decrease the demand on A&E.
The project team aims to highlight opportunities and recommend system wide actions that will decrease the demand on A&E services.
- Reduce nonessential A&E attendances with first level support acquired through primary care and NHS 111.
- Make primary, community and acute services paediatric pathways more effective.
- Ensure the community offer is effective at directing residents to non-urgent / emergency activity to an appropriate community service.
- Connect partners to highlight the gaps and opportunities in prevention and early intervention that can stem nonessential A&E attendance
- To collaborate with primary care colleagues and community services
- To develop and implement an effective communications plan of the current community offer, including resources in appropriate languages
- To connect with the emerging work around Child Health Hubs and the wider work across the ICS as it arises
- To recommend a system model that eases the demand on A&E