The Pathway to Urgent Care – Turning Up Where The Light Is On: A patient’s perspective of their road to treatment

This report by Healthwatch East Sussex explores how patients access urgent care services and why many attend Accident & Emergency (A&E) departments. It is based on 623 patient interviews conducted over a two‑week period in August 2015 across A&E departments, Minor Injury Units (MIUs), and Walk‑In Centres (WICs). 

The study was designed to complement existing statistical data by focusing on patient experience, particularly how people decide where to seek treatment and whether A&E is used as a default option. 

Key Findings

Most respondents did not attempt to contact a GP before attending. Around 76% of A&E patients had not tried to book a GP appointment, and only about one‑third had sought help from any alternative source.  This suggests that many patients bypass primary care services when deciding where to go.

Over half of respondents, especially in A&E, reported that they went straight to the department without being advised by a professional.  Although some patients were referred by GPs or the NHS 111 service, these proportions were relatively small. 

Despite limited prior help‑seeking, more than 90% of respondents felt they should have attended the department they chose, indicating a strong perception that A&E is the correct place for urgent care. 

Many patients arrived at A&E by car, often accompanied by friends or family, rather than by ambulance.  This implies that some cases might have been suitable for MIUs or WICs instead of emergency departments. 

While some patients reported receiving advice from pharmacists, dentists, or NHS 111, overall awareness and use of these alternatives appeared low. 

Patient Experience

Overall, patient experience in urgent care settings was largely positive. Most patients reported reasonable waiting times, with less than 15% waiting over two hours, and many felt they received clear information. 

Feedback highlighted that staff were generally viewed as professional, respectful, and supportive, although delays in treatment were the most common concern.

Conclusions

The report concludes that many patients default to A&E without seeking prior advice, even though alternative services are available. This behaviour is likely influenced by limited awareness, difficulty accessing information, and confusion about available services, particularly out‑of‑hours GP care. 

Although information about urgent care options exists, it is not always easy to find or widely accessible, which may lead patients to choose A&E unnecessarily. 

Recommendations

The report suggests that improving access to clear, widely distributed information about urgent care options could help patients make more appropriate choices. It also recommends further work with partners to promote awareness of alternatives such as MIUs, WICs, and NHS 111.