How can A&E units improve their performance? (2020health blog) – January 2015

Proposals: (1) Patients whose medical circumstances do not justify a visit to A&E should not be allowed to utilise excessive resources; (2) A&E departments should have a single, strong leader with experience of A&E; (3) The NHS could have a small central team available to help A&E units on request with their statistical analysis and to provide appropriate software so that bottlenecks can be kept to a minimum; (4) The biggest obstacle standing in the way of major improvements in A&E departments is not money but rather real difficulty in recruiting and retaining doctors and staff. This issue must be addressed; (5) There are strong arguments for fewer, larger A&E departments; and (6) Additional steps should be taken to educate the public about when to attend A&E, when to call an ambulance and what alternatives exist.

Hospital inspections: lessons to be learnt (2020health blog) – December 2014

Proposal: The inspectors should consider whether terms such as “inadequate” could be taken out of context and frighten patients when used to describe leading internationally renowned hospitals.

The highest standards of medical care urgently require doctors to remain up to date through Continuing Professional Development (2020health blog) – October 2011

Proposal: The General Medical Council should place great emphasis on making sure that doctors remain up to date with new drugs and diagnostic tests.

Response: Steps are being taken, for example through NICE, to increase awareness of treatment options.