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<p>Information on the various urgent and emergency care services that operate in England
is available on the NHS Choices website to help patients and the public make good
choices about what type of facility may best suit their needs. This is supported by
a “Find Urgent Care services” portal which allows users to enter a postcode and obtain
directions to their nearest facility.</p><p> </p><p>More broadly, NHS England is currently
conducting a review into urgent and emergency care services in England. The Urgent
and Emergency Care Review aims to reduce pressure on accident and emergency (A&E)
by delivering a system that enables more patients to be treated outside of hospital.</p><p>
</p><p>The end of first stage Report on the Review, published in November 2013, recognised
the need to deliver highly responsive urgent care services outside of hospital so
people no longer choose to queue in A&E. The Review further recognised that there
are a range of urgent care services currently open including ‘walk-in centres’, ‘minor
injury units’, ‘urgent care centres’ and other similarly named facilities that all
offer slightly different services, at slightly different times, in different places.</p><p>
</p><p>In response to this, the Review proposed to support the co-location of community-based
urgent care services in coordinated urgent care centres. These will be locally specified
to meet local need, but should consistently use the “urgent care centre” name, to
replace the multitude of terms that are available at present. Urgent care centres
may provide access to walk-in minor illness and minor injury services, and will be
part of the wider community primary care service including out-of–hours general practitioner
services.</p><p> </p><p>Since November last year, the Review team at NHS England has
been working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders from across the system
to work out</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>the practicalities for delivering
this change, to ensure that all urgent care centres are able to provide access to
a broad range of physical and mental illness and injury</p><p>care, for both adults
and children. Final decisions on how urgent care centres might be organised will rest
with local health economies, but a more consistent offer from such facilities will
be advantageous in promoting them as an alternative to hospital based urgent care.</p><p>
</p><p>NHS England will update on progress with the Review later this year.</p>
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