Emergency Department Survey Report

Healthwatch volunteers and staff conducted surveys in four emergency departments (EDs) across Devon: Torbay Hospital (Torquay), Derriford Hospital (Plymouth), North Devon District Hospital (Barnstaple), and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Exeter). The visiting team asked patients questions about their visit to the ED, including whether they sought advice or treatment from any other services before arriving, if they were unable to access any other services, and if their visit to the ED is related to hospital treatment they are waiting to receive or have recently received.

103 people took the time to share their experiences for this project.

Key findings:

• Most of the respondents at Torbay Hospital, North Devon District Hospital and Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital did not come to the ED because they were unable to access another service. For respondents at Derriford Hospital, this figure was just under half, meaning over half of respondents said they came to ED because they were unable to access another service.
• Torbay Hospital had the highest percentage of respondents who had sought treatment or advice from NHS 111 before coming to the ED followed by Derriford Hospital Royal, Devon & Exeter Hospital, and North Devon District Hospital. Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital had the highest percentage of respondents who sought advice or treatment from their GP, followed by Derriford Hospital, Torbay Hospital, and North Devon District Hospital.
• The percentage of respondents who came to the ED because they were unable to access GP services was considerably lower at Torbay Hospital compared to North Devon District Hospital, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, and Derriford Hospital.
• The percentage of respondents who came to the ED because they were unable to access NHS 111 was higher at Derriford Hospital compared to Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Torbay Hospital, and North Devon District Hospital.
• Relatively few respondents were on a waiting list for hospital treatment. Relatively few had recently been discharged from hospital. Of the small number of respondents who were on a waiting list or had recently been discharged, most said that their visit to the ED was related to that condition.

This report includes a statement from the NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group.