NHS chiefs’ warning over emergency care as new plans unveiled

A new major emergency care centre will be created in Bradford alongside an urgent care centre to focus on minor injuries and accidents.

At Airedale Hospital, improved A&E services will be developed and plans put in place to improve the discharge of patients and reduce patient admissions.

NHS leaders in Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven yesterday launched a public consultation over the plans designed to give immediate round-the-clock access to services which they say are “being squeezed from all directions”.

They yesterday warned of “very real challenges” for emergency units in the area to cope with growing demand, with key plans focusing on improved management of long-term conditions and better access to GP care.

A total of £124 million was spent on urgent and emergency care in the area in 2013-14 but NHS and social care services in the area face a huge shortfall in funding estimated at £364m over the next five years.

By 2021, there will be a third more people aged over 60 in Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven, increasing pressure on hospitals.

Family doctor Aamer Khan, clinical specialty lead for urgent care at Bradford City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said the existing approach could not be sustained.

“Our local emergency and urgent care system needs to be transformed to meet current pressures and future demands,” he said.

GP Colin Renwick, clinical chairman of Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG, said local services were highly rated by patients.

“They deliver good outcomes for patients and meet most targets but, increasingly, people are expecting to have 24-hour access to services, all year round, and to be able to see who they want, when they want – so we need to develop services which make it easier for people to get the right service first time,” he said.