Accident and Emergency Departments: Standards
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for patient safety of A&E departments operating above 100% capacity; and what steps he is taking to address capacity issues at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.
Answered by Karin Smyth
The Government takes patient safety seriously, including when accident and emergency departments are under severe pressure.
Patients are clinically triaged on arrival and monitored at appropriate intervals, with decisions led locally through clinical judgement and governance. Where corridor care is taking place and cannot be avoided, the National Health Service has published updated guidance to ensure this care is delivered safely, with senior clinical oversight, appropriate monitoring, and that dignity and privacy are maintained.
More broadly, the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework sets out clear action to improve urgent and emergency care performance year‑on‑year, including reducing long waits, improving patient flow, and ensuring that patients are treated in the right setting, the first time.
At Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, pressures are being addressed through system‑wide actions, including investment in hospital‑based urgent treatment centres, improvements to reduce delayed discharges, and shifting care from hospital into communities.
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