More than 200,000 people accessed new NHS services developed
through the Welsh Government's pioneering Six Goals programme as
an alternative to emergency department care or admission to
hospital last year.
Now starting its third year, the programme will focus on reducing
ambulance handover delays and the longest waits in Wales'
emergency departments.
Despite record demand on urgent and emergency care in Wales, the
new services created across Wales as part of the Six Goals
for Urgent and Emergency Care programme have helped to
ensure more people are receiving the right care for their needs,
from the right healthcare professional at the first time, rather
than everyone being sent to emergency departments.
Cabinet Secretary for Health says much progress has been
made in revamping urgent and emergency care services, on the
second anniversary of the Six Goals programme today (Monday June
10th).
Launched in April 2022, and backed by £25m every year, the
programme has overseen the launch of the national NHS 111 Wales
urgent care helpline service, the creation of 16 urgent primary
care centres and 25 same day emergency care services.
NHS data shows:
- Urgent primary care centres are helping around 11,000 people
every month, with approximately 85% cared for away from emergency
departments.
- Around 7,500 people using same day emergency care services
every month, with nearly 80% discharged home on the same day.
- The average length of hospital stay has reduced from 8.5 days
to seven days.
- The national 24/7 mental health single point of contact
service (NHS 111 Wales press 2) is receiving more than 6,000
calls a month.
- The average wait to be triaged in in major emergency
departments has remained stable at around 20 minutes, despite a
surge in demand.
The last twelve months have seen increasing demand for emergency
care throughout Wales. Despite this, performance against the
four-hour target has been stable with more than three quarters of
a million people completing their treatment in emergency
departments within four hours – an increase of 57,000 on the year
before. For life-threatening 999 ‘red' calls, more than 26,000
people received a response in eight minutes in 2023-24, 13% more
than the previous year.
Cabinet Secretary for Health said:
“Every day thousands of people in Wales receive high-quality
urgent and emergency healthcare. It's vitally important they get
the right care, in the right place, the first time and that isn't
always an emergency department.
“That's why we're investing in services like 111 and urgent
primary care centres through the Six Goals programme.
“Despite relentless demand on services these changes have helped
stabilise emergency department performance. But we know there is
much more to do.
“None of this would be possible without the ongoing commitment of
our NHS workforce and I want to thank them for helping to deliver
these changes.
“In the third year of the Six Goals programme, our focus will
turn to improving ambulance patient handover times and reducing
the longest waits in emergency departments.”
One of the projects funded by the Six Goals programme is
providing specialised same-day services at Velindre Cancer Centre
for people with cancer who develop toxicity as a result of
immunotherapy treatment. It helps them to avoid repeated
emergency admissions to hospital and being admitted to hospital
for ongoing care.
Speaking of the immunotherapy toxicities service at Velindre, Dr
Ricky Frazer, Consultant at Velindre Cancer Centre, said:
“Immunotherapy is a hugely effective treatment for patients
living with cancer, but in some cases it can cause unpleasant
side effects that can become serious if not managed effectively.
“Our 24-hr service provides information, education and resources
to patients and staff across south east Wales and beyond, to help
them identify and relieve any side-effects as swiftly and safely
as possible.”
Velindre patient Sharon Bettinson said:
“They're just fantastic in Velindre. You know when you go there
you're going to get the right treatment and you're not going to
be hanging around for hours. I can't praise them enough for what
they've done for me.”
Notes to editors
The Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency
Care programme's second annual report will be published
tomorrow (Tuesday June 11th).
