13 July 2020
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) make recommendations for the immediate transformation of the urgent and emergency care pathway.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the public must be confident that they will receive urgent and emergency care in a safe environment. That care must be timely and delivered on the basis of clinical need, whether by primary or secondary care services.
Pandemic infection prevention and control measures are complex and must be addressed proactively. RCEM, RCGP, RCP and SAM believe that transformation of the urgent and emergency care pathway is needed now. Without it there will be crowding, which is dangerous for patients and carers, and makes infection prevention and control impossible.
In this statement, we set out some principles and make 10 recommendations. These changes will only be possible if all of us continue to work together. We are encouraged by the increase in multispecialty working during the pandemic and are committed to helping it continue. You can read the statement here.
To discuss anything in this statement, or for more information, please contact us via policy@rcem.ac.uk, policy@rcgp.org.uk, policy@rcplondon.ac.uk or communications@acutemedicine.org.uk.
