Transforming emergency and urgent care site selection with location intelligence
The NHS in the South, Central and West region partnered with Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB) to assess and redesign community urgent care in Devon.
The goal was to significantly reduce avoidable emergency department visits, cut operational costs, and ensure that services remain accessible and responsive to the needs of all communities.
Issue
With the growing demand for urgent care services in Devon, reducing pressure on emergency and urgent services is a priority. Focusing on delivering practical and efficient alternatives to emergency department visits can reduce this pressure.
Approach
All urgent and emergency care providers in the region were identified and mapped, along with minor injury units. This information was then mapped alongside population data at Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) level, demonstrating patient usage patterns and the distances patients are travelling to access care. This allowed the data to be explored and visualised for decision makers to explore options.
Impact
The approach provides a clear overview of urgent and emergency care coverage by locality, as well as a visualisation of patient flows, which breaks down activity data. This allows providers to understand usage across the region, allowing them to improve the quality and efficiency of urgent care services - promoting equitable service provision across Devon.
This map allows stakeholders to easily identify vulnerable communities with limited-service access, this supports providers in improving access to urgent care and reduce inequalities for remote and vulnerable communities.
The use of scenario modelling empowers healthcare providers across Devon to make informed decisions, by drawing on accurate data , all available in one place. This helps decision makers to easily see the effect on service changes, ensuring that decisions lead to more organised and efficient services.
Organisation: NHS Geospatial SCW and Devon ICB.