Published on 6th June 2025

Commenting on the Government’s New Urgent and Emergency Care plan, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, Rachel Power, said:

"Patients will rightly welcome the £450 million investment and the Government’s recognition that urgent and emergency care is in vital need of reform. But while the plan outlines important steps, including 40 new Same Day Emergency Care and Urgent Treatment Centres, hundreds of new ambulances, and increased community-based care, it risks missing the point.

"The system is broken, and this plan addresses the symptoms of a struggling system without tackling the root causes. It accepts that people are turning to A&E because they can’t get GP appointments but without imminently expanding access to timely support closer to home, there’s a real risk of simply shifting the pressure elsewhere in the system.

"We support the publication of A&E performance data, but we mustn’t forget that the numbers don’t always reflect what matters most to patients: dignity, communication, and their experience of waiting. We would like to see the extension of the minimum patient experience standards from the Elective Reform Plan to the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan. Receiving care in unsafe and inappropriate places that can cause deterioration, a lack of information, and uncertainty can be just as distressing as the health crisis that brought someone to A&E.

"We welcome the plan’s honest but partial assessment of the situation and its focus on treating more patients at home or in the community. But to make this transformation sustainable, we must address the reasons why demand continues to rise so rapidly, including the social and structural determinants of health and persistent health inequalities.

"Patients deserve a system that works for them, is built on their experience and feedback, and is responsive, properly resourced, and rooted in their needs. We look forward to seeing how this plan is implemented but this must be done in partnership with patients. We await further detail to be published in the forthcoming 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS. This is a step in the right direction, but it must be the start of a much bigger journey."

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