Urgent Care and Emergency Services Report

Healthwatch Croydon undertook research on urgent care and emergency services in Croydon. They analysed patient experience feedback, comments from carers and discussions at a public meeting held in November 2015 to understand how residents used services including ambulances, minor injury units, NHS 111 and GP out-of-hours provision.

The report found significant concerns about access, communication and public understanding of available services. Ambulance response times in Croydon were a major issue, with residents reporting delays and concerns about pressure on both the London Ambulance Service and Croydon University Hospital A&E. However, experiences of frontline ambulance staff were generally very positive, with residents praising the professionalism and reassurance provided by paramedics. Many people also felt there was a lack of joined-up care and insufficient information about alternatives to A&E.

Minor Injury Units were viewed positively by people who used them, particularly Purley Minor Injuries Unit, but residents highlighted limited opening hours, poor promotion and restricted access to services such as X-rays. NHS 111 generally received favourable feedback, with people reporting quick responses and helpful advice, although there remained confusion about how the service worked and uncertainty about when it should be used. Similar confusion existed around GP out-of-hours services, with many people unsure whether to contact NHS 111 or an out-of-hours GP provider.

Healthwatch Croydon concluded that urgent and emergency care services would benefit from better coordination, clearer public information and more consistent access across the borough. Key recommendations included improving awareness of available services, increasing access to alternatives to A&E, strengthening data collection and service evaluation, improving communication between providers and ensuring urgent care services are distributed equitably across Croydon.