Reasons why patients do not wait to be seen in Emergency Department
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of the reasons why patients do not wait to be seen in the Emergency Department.
IRAS ID
184453
Contact name
Alison Williams
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Canterbury Christ Church University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 30 days
Research summary
This proposed research study aims to explore reasons why patients do not wait to be seen after having registered within the Emergency Department and what then happens to those patients. Government targets dictate that the number of patients who do not wait to be seen are measured and recorded, therefore healthcare professionals are told to care about this statistic, but is it right that they should do so? There is conflicting information available about reasons why patients leave without being seen and whether this group of patients is then subsequently put at adverse risk of untoward events, because of this behaviour. Although much has been published from Australia and the United States of America, there is much less information that relates to the United Kingdom. This planned study aims to further explore reasons why patients do not wait. It proposes to perform face-to-face interviews with six patients who left the Emergency Department without being seen and ascertain what health problem the patient attended with; reason/s for leaving; and then how their problem was subsequently resolved. Eligible patients would be those who are adults, and not in a vulnerable group such as patients with mental health problems or learning disabilities. The interviews will take place in a venue that is convenient to the patient; either their home address or a private room within the Emergency Department. The study will be conducted over approximately 3 months. Information gained from these interviews will be analysed and emerging themes will inform practitioners regarding the reasons that patients do not wait to be seen and enable a change in practice to occur if required.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0139
Date of REC Opinion
22 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion