National survey shows most people experience good urgent and emergency care, but lengthy waiting times remain a problem

50,000 people who received urgent and emergency care from services provided by 132 NHS trusts across England show that the majority are positive about most aspects of their care and treatment. However, a significant continue to report long waits
Woman standing infront of a hospital sign that shows all the different departments

Published today (Wednesday 23 October) by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the survey reveals the responses from patients who attended either a major consultant-led A&E department (Type 1) or an urgent care centre or minor injury unit (Type 3) run directly by an acute hospital trust during September 2018.

Survey findings

The majority of people (75%) who had attended a Type 1 department said they ‘definitely’ had enough time to discuss their condition with the doctor or nurse, compared to 73% who said this in 2016 when the survey was last carried out. Similarly, a large proportion of Type 1 respondents (76%) said they ‘definitely’ had confidence and trust in the staff examining and treating them (up from 75% in 2016), and 79% felt they were treated with respect and dignity ‘all of the time’ (up from 78% in 2016).