CQC head warns of ‘unsustainable’ accident and emergency demand

The chairman of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has raised concerns about the "unsustainable" pressures that are undermining the stability of NHS accident and emergency services.

During a conference run by thinktank The King's Fund, CQC head David Prior suggested that a reduction in the number of emergency hospital beds is needed to counteract this trend, as well as an increased focus on care in community settings.

Figures from The King's Fund show that attendances for English NHS accident and emergency units stood at around 14 million between 1987 and 2003, but soared by 50 percent over the following decade to 21.7 million last year.

Mr Prior said this is due to a lack of available service options, particularly given the number of GPs that do not provide out-of-hours care, leaving patients feeling as though they have no choice but to go to emergency wards to get their problems checked out.

He added: "If we don't start closing acute beds, the system is going to fall over. Emergency admissions through accident and emergency are out of control in large parts of the country."