The Director of Health Equality and Inclusion
for UHL, gave a gave verbal presentation update on the Accident and
Emergency Department’s waiting times:
- The update was requested following a
question relating to ambulance hand over times and the
potential impact based on protected characteristics for patients
waiting for ambulances at a previous meeting. To assess this
question, data was examined from October 2025 which analysed
sex, ethnicity, frailty and deprivation status of 1,800 patients
and how these factors affected people waiting for ambulances. The
findings were that there was no significant difference based on a
protected characteristic and that clinical need and acuity of
illness being the driving factor.
- Further work was done to examine the
experiences of patients and how different groups of people might
experience waiting as well as how they might attend the Emergency
Department. UHL Emergency Department (ED) data between 2022 and
2024 was investigated for the research, with wait times and
frequency of attendance being examined. The Director hoped that
this extra information would further add to conversation around the
previous item on winter pressures.
- Between July 2022 to November 2024
there was an 11% increase in ED attendance. This was fuelled
by a 21% increase in Paediatrics and 7% increase in adults. While
there was a noted increase in children's attendance, adult
attendance outnumbered children by nearly a factor of 3.
- There was an overall goal of
simplifying the data so interventions can be had with
specific groups and populations as well as what service
changes need to be made to support this. There are different needs
for different population groups with a clear need around
deprivations status and age. The data showed that the most
prominent groups in the Emergency Department were older patients of
a white ethnicity, Black and Asian individuals and deprived
groups. Black and Asian individual as well as deprived groups were
all overrepresented in the Emergency Department, but their average
patient acuity was lower. Older patients who are of a white
ethnicity tend to wait longer but this was due to the complexity of
their needs.
- Emergency Department usage was
becoming less concentrated amongst traditional high use groups. A
broader, more complex patient mix was emerging across the
population.
- The data was collated on to maps, so
the areas of LLR with particularly high Emergency department
attendance can be identified. This was with the aim of passing this
information on to primary care and community partners, so they can
engage with the identified communities and develop interventions.
Thus, driving down Emergency Department attendance in the future.
In response to Members comments:
- The utility of the slides in
relation to the previous topic was echoed by members and that it
was stated that it would have been useful to see the slides before
the meeting. It was commented how factors such as vaccinations and
GP access in deprived and rural communities, ultimately accumulates
in the Emergency department
- The GP to patient ratio in the City
and its subsequent impacts on the Emergency Department was notably
raised by members. It was stated that until the issue of the high
GP to patient ratio is tackled, then it will continue to contribute
to the high Emergency Department numbers. The fact that high levels
of complex health cases in the City, were monopolising GP’s
resources was also highlighted. In response, the Chief Medical
Officer for the ICB acknowledged that the lower levels of GPs in
the City was an issue which they were working to improve. The ICB
was also offering extra support and funding to GP practices in the
City to help tackle the health inequality issues.
- The topic of longer wait times for
older white patients was commented on and further details were
requested about what the underlying causes of this difference were.
It was suggested by members that it would perhaps be better if the
data focused on more subdivided sections such as the City and
County separately to provide more accurate information on the
factors that were assessed. In answer to this, it was explained
that the wait times for elderly white patients was due the
complexity of their needs and not how sick they were.
Agreed:
1.
The presentation was noted.