Health professionals' perceptions of inappropriate use of A&E services

摘要

Objective: The aim of this study was tojnvestigate health professionals' perceptions of the inappropriate use of accident and emergency (A&E) services. Method: Qualitative methods were used to interview nine hospital staff as part of this exploratory study. Results: Seven main themes emerged from the data: convenience; lack of patient knowledge and help-seeking behaviour; lack of awareness of services; lack of knowledge of local services among health and social-care professionals; long-term conditions; parents with small children; and the local Nepalese community. Conclusion: Further research is needed to understand what drives service-users' behaviour to use A&E services inappropriately for non-urgent treatment.