Understanding patient flow in hospitals
understanding_patient_flow_in_hospitals_web_0
understanding_patient_flow_in_hospitals_web_0
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
35 <strong>Understand<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>patient</strong> <strong>flow</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>hospitals</strong><br />
Conclusion<br />
If the NHS is to treat <strong>patient</strong>s more quickly and meet major commitments like the<br />
four-hour target for A&E, allow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>patient</strong>s to <strong>flow</strong> freely through hospital is essential.<br />
Yet after years of flat or fall<strong>in</strong>g bed numbers and grow<strong>in</strong>g need for care, this is all too<br />
often not possible. It appears that at least 5.5% of beds need to be free to create the<br />
space for clean<strong>in</strong>g and prepar<strong>in</strong>g beds that makes successful <strong>flow</strong> possible. Yet many<br />
trusts now struggle much of the time to provide this.<br />
With a ris<strong>in</strong>g death rate, and <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g numbers of <strong>patient</strong>s with multiple conditions,<br />
these pressures are only likely to <strong>in</strong>tensify. More capacity is one answer, but at best<br />
it can only provide a small part of the solution given the current f<strong>in</strong>ancial situation.<br />
Count<strong>in</strong>g <strong>patient</strong>s at midnight no longer gives a useful national or local picture <strong>in</strong> a<br />
world where so many are treated with<strong>in</strong> a matter of hours. Managers should improve<br />
IT and governance systems that track bed use and <strong>flow</strong> so that they can see where<br />
problems and pressures exist. Meanwhile, quicker discharge for the longest stay<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>patient</strong>s is probably where the most potential exists to free up space. Above all of this,<br />
the NHS culture of problem-solv<strong>in</strong>g needs to be more open to ideas, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g from<br />
the front l<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
The f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> this report do not change the fact that address<strong>in</strong>g this situation is<br />
complex and difficult. But after years of fail<strong>in</strong>g to address the A&E crisis through<br />
narrow measures, we hope they at least show how look<strong>in</strong>g at the right parts of the<br />
broader system might provide answers.