Evaluating a New Approach for Improving Care in an Accident and Emergency Department: The New Care Project

摘要

This report evaluates a partnership initiative between primary and secondary care providers that is intended to improve Accident and Emergency (A&E) services at Northwick Park, one of two large acute hospitals within the North West London Hospitals NHS Trust. It considers how major strides were made during 2002/2003 towards improving A&E services to patients, and how it acted as the site for a major experiment, involving an integrated ëout-of-hoursí primary care and A&E service. Known as the NU-Care project (Northwick Urgent Care), the aim was to introduce new skills into the Department, and to improve links with other existing providers, such as primary care and NHS Direct, and thereby improve the overall patient experience.