Experiences of Urgent and Emergency Care Across Greater Manchester
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Healthwatch in Greater Manchester (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan and Leigh) analysed their feedback on urgent health situations. This report is based on 485 pieces of feedback.
The majority of the feedback on urgent and emergency care was negative. These stories often focused on difficulties getting GP appointments which caused attendance at Urgent Care or A&E, long waiting times, or poor communication.
Themes in positive feedback described kind and caring staff, good quality treatment, and times when services worked well for them.
Accessing urgent care was often difficult. People faced barriers including poor signage, limited parking, and inaccessible layouts. Those with mobility issues struggled to reach departments, while people with communication needs—such as hearing loss, limited English, or cognitive impairments—often weren’t given the support they needed. Being passed between services without clear explanation left many feeling confused and anxious.
Many people reported waiting many hours in A&E with little to no communication from staff. Others felt dismissed or not taken seriously.
Many individuals said they were unsure which service to contact first and often used multiple routes before ending up at A&E or Urgent Care. The lack of clear information or visible alternatives left people feeling they had no choice.
Difficulty getting same-day GP appointments for urgent symptoms was one of the most common frustrations. People described being referred between services or turning to A&E or Urgent Care when primary care couldn’t meet their needs.
Some people appreciated the NHS 111 service and found it helpful, while others experienced delays, confusion, or felt they were signposted inappropriately.
People reported that they had turned to A&E for dental issues due to being unable to find emergency dental appointments. This was especially difficult for people not registered with an NHS dentist.