BLUEPRINT TO END A&E CRISIS

Plans to include... New areas for those who need extended care

- BY MARTIN BAGOT Health Editor

THE NHS is to change how A&Es operate in an attempt to tackle the corridor care crisis in hospitals.

Emergency departments in England will have dedicated areas for people who are likely to need extended care, prioritising those with the most urgent need.

The change is aimed at making waiting in A&E more bearable - particularly for the elderly, children, people with mental health issues and those receiving end-of-life care.

The NHS blueprint outlines how a model emergency department should work, in a bid to end corridors being used as makeshift wards.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "Too many patients are stuck waiting in overcrowded A&Es when they could be treated faster and more safely elsewhere."