Factors which influence attendance at a PED
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Factors which influence attendance at a Pediatric emergency department (PED) with conditions suitable for managing in other settings.
IRAS ID
174970
Contact name
Shammi Ramlakhan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 0 days
Research summary
Attendance at Emergency Departments (ED or A&E) with problems which are suitable for management in other less acute settings is a well recognised problem. Each year, 2 million Britons attend EDs unnecessarily, costing the NHS £136 million. Research at EDs in general hospitals has shown that young children make up a large proportion of such attendances. The burden is therefore likely to be greater in paediatric EDs such as at Sheffield Children's Hospital (SCH). Recently, the SCH ED has been receiving record numbers of patients, many of which have minor problems which do not require emergency care. This pattern has been reflected nationally. This research project will involve a questionnaire, notes review and semi-structured interviews in order to attempt to determine the reasons parents/carers of children with non-urgent conditions attend the SCH ED and to quantify the proportion that could have been managed in other settings. Understanding the reasons for these attendances at the should help Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Public Health and Commissioners to develop strategies for reducing them. Importantly, understanding the expectations of parents/carers and children will allow planning of services to better meet their needs.
In addition, two similar studies have been undertaken in Sheffield's adult ED (in 1997 and 2006). Our hypotheses is that there are significant differences in factors affecting ED attendance between the two populations as well as in the proportions suitable for managing in other settings.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/YH/0258
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jul 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion