A&E Services review in Barnet
During February and March 2019, we conducted a survey with patients attending A&E departments in the Royal Free Hospital Trust. Our team of staff and volunteers visited the Accident & Emergency Departments at Barnet Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital to gather the views of over 500 patients. The main objective was to identify why people were coming to A&E.
In total 578 patient responses were collected, 323 In Barnet Hospital and 255 in Royal Free Hospital.
Our key findings from the feedback showed
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Almost half of patients were referred to either A&E site by another health service
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1 in 3 patients were referred by their GP
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The main reason patients attended A&E departments at both sites was because they were ‘in pain and didn’t want to delay seeking medical attention’
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Patients thinking that they needed a diagnostic test was the second most common reason for attending A&E at both sites.
An additional follow up survey was distributed to the patients who provided their contact details to identify the outcome of their visit to A&E. This allowed for analysis of whether health services are being used appropriately.
