Supporting urgent and emergency care during winter

This month’s COVID-19 insight report takes a closer look at how urgent and emergency care services have been affected by the pandemic during the winter, and highlights action CQC is taking to support services under pressure.

The challenges for emergency departments have included how to manage services safely, through social distancing and infection control measures, while ensuring people have timely access to treatment.

In response to these pressures, this report discusses our work with frontline clinicians from emergency departments throughout the country to mitigate risk and maintain safe care. We highlight our recently published Patient FIRST framework, which includes practical examples on how clinicians can effectively manage patient flow, infection control, staffing and treatment in emergency departments.

We also continue to publish data on designated settings and the death rates in both care homes and of people detained under the Mental Health Act.

Read COVID-19 Insight Issue 8 now