Improving Urgent and Emergency Care through Digital 

Improving urgent and emergency care through digital 
Improving Urgent and Emergency Care through Digital 
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Robust urgent and emergency care requires a well-coordinated approach that integrates multiple resources beyond traditional A&E departments. This includes leveraging digital solutions, NHS 111, paramedic services, urgent care centres, GP practices, and pharmacies to ensure patients receive timely care. With persistent pressures on A&E services, NHS organisations are implementing the national 10-point Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) recovery plan, aiming for at least 78% of patients to be seen within four hours by March 2025. Employing various digital tools and technologies can enhance operational efficiency within urgent and emergency care.

This award recognises projects that are digitally enabling a 24/7 integrated urgent and emergency care service. Judges are looking for innovative and, ideally, system-wide solutions that will help build capacity, improve access and reduce wait times for patients, ensuring they get the right help, in the right place at the right time.

Eligibility

  • All NHS organisations including 111 providers, acute and ambulance trusts, General Practice, pharmacy and dentistry organisations
  • Evidence must relate to a project, ongoing or completed within the 2 years up until the award entry deadline

Ambition

  • Provide a clear rationale for the digital project or service and the context in which this was required – what were the project aims, and what strategic thinking was done before bringing technology to the table?
  • Define the intended measures of success and the steps put in place to achieve them.
  • Discuss how the risks of exclusion or exacerbating inequalities were considered in the design and development of the project or service, and mitigations were put in place.

Outcome

  • Describe how the project or service was seamlessly developed and deployed whilst retaining any existing services to minimise disruption to patients and staff.
  • Provide qualitative and quantitative evidence of reduced wait times for patients, improved experience and/or improved outcomes as a result of the project.
  • Share any financial impacts of implementation, including evidence relating to value for money and/or efficiencies realised by the project or service.

Value

  • Discuss how this digital project has positively impacted inappropriate A&E attendance and/or patient flow, and how it will achieve lasting impact.
  • Evidence how the patient and staff experience has improved as a result of the new digital project, product or service.
  • Share any other value generated, including unintended benefits, of the digital project.

Involvement

  • Describe and provide testimonial evidence of the working relationship between the technology partner (if relevant) and the NHS organisation that enabled a genuinely co-produced product or service.
  • Share how all relevant staff and clinicians were engaged in the design and implementation of the project, product or service.
  • Explain how patients, families and the community were involved in the design, planning and implementation of this project, product or service.

Spread

  • Describe and if possible, evidence how the learnings from the project or product/service development have been shared across and beyond your organisation or system.
  • Discuss the scope for further replication or scaling up of this project, product or service in other settings.

To find out more

Partnership opportunities:  Sponsorship Sales Team
Awards entry enquiries: Delegate Sales Team
Judging and event management: Awards Support