The NHS in the South East is strengthening its commitment to providing safer and faster urgent and emergency care for residents, with significant improvements already making a difference for patients. 

 Across the region, people are experiencing shorter waits in many A&E departments, faster ambulance handovers, and the expansion of Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) services—helping individuals access treatment without unnecessary hospital stays. 

These advances are part of ongoing efforts to rebuild public trust and confidence in urgent and emergency care as NHSE England publishes the new Urgent Emergency Care (UEC) Plan. By prioritising efficiency, transparency, and patient experience, the NHS in the South East is focused on ensuring people receive the right care at the right time. 

Technology and innovation has been at the heart of the drive to improve services for patients, enabling patients to be cared for and monitored from home with the growth of Virtual Wards, through to innovative new triage systems and bed capacity technology. 

Combined with considerable work to keep patients out of hospital and A&E in the first place, thanks to joined up services with such as the SECAmb unscheduled care navigation hubs, means patients getting care in the right place, at the right time, leading to better outcomes for all.  

Improvements and investment at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire have meant 78% of people being seen, treated and discharged or admitted to hospital within four hours of arrival at A&E – hitting the national standard. A 21-bed Emergency Medical Receiving Unit designed to look after people who need a short stay bed without means people are not needing to be admitted to a hospital ward, while the SDEC provides emergency care without the need for a hospital admission. 

Other areas across the region are also reaping the benefits of SDECs helping people to avoid long waits in A&E and ensuring frail patients avoid lengthy and often unnecessary stays in hospital.  The frailty SDEC at East Surrey hospital opened in October 2024 and approximately 80% of patients are able to go home on the same day. 

Further work to keep patients out of hospitals can be seen with the growth of Urgent Community Response (UCR) Teams with the region  – teams of  health and social care professionals who help to care for people at home – preventing avoidable hospital visits and stays – and to assist people returning home from hospital who need extra support. They often focus on frail patients, or those with complex health needs, working to provide care in the most appropriate setting which can often lead to better patient outcomes.  

Recently the UCR at Sussex Community Foundation Trust received a GP referral for an 85-year-old patient experiencing lethargy, reduced mobility, and early signs of a possible infection. The patient was identified as being at risk of hospital admission, and the referral was triaged to the UCR team, who attended within an hour.  

An Occupational Therapist assessed the patient, while a nurse conducted a clinical review of their medication. The patient was then remotely monitored through daily telephone and video consultations and remained on the virtual ward for a week, receiving ongoing clinical support. 

Dr Christopher Tibbs, Medical Director for the NHS in the South East, said:  

“Our priority is always to improve care for patients, to ensure they are seen at the right time, in the right place and by the right clinician. Every improvement we can make will directly impact the experience and outcomes for south east residents and reflects the hard work by NHS staff across the region. 

“Whilst improvements are being made, we are very much aware that too many people are still waiting too long in A&E, too long for an ambulance and too long to be seen by the right clinician. There is much more work to be done, and we are committed to taking action to ensure the NHS is there to deliver care for those who need it, when they need it.”