Targeted letters to reduce avoidable Emergency Department attendances
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Sending targeted follow-up letters to recent Emergency Department patients whose attendance was likely avoidable in order to reduce future avoidable Emergency Department attendances
IRAS ID
165111
Contact name
Hannah Behrendt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Canterbury and Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 29 days
Research summary
The study aims to test whether it is possible to reduce pressure on A&E Departments by sending a personal feedback letter to people who have recently attended A&E and whose health issues could likely have been dealt with elsewhere.
These attendances clearly have many causes. However, it is likely that some attendances are due to behavioural factors – in other words, the various ways in which users interact with services. This proposal focuses on one particular behavioural factor: lack of feedback to users making avoidable visits.
Currently, hospitals write to GPs after their patients attend A&E; this study aims to determine whether there is a case for extending this practice to patients.
The study will take place in collaboration with East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT). Each week during the trial, the hospital will identify those Emergency Department attendances in the last seven days which, according to clinical judgement, could have been dealt with elsewhere. Half of the patients will then be randomly selected to receive a letter containing information on alternative healthcare options for non-emergency health concerns.
Patient records will be analysed to determine whether the patients who received the letter are less likely to make an avoidable repeat visit to A&E in the future, compared with patients who received no letter.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/YH/1280
Date of REC Opinion
5 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion