Fast-tracking Urgent Care Integration
Reducing pressure by routing care based on need
The NHS faces significant challenges with urgent care delivery. NHS Digital data reveals approximately 40% of A&E attendances -over 10 million visits annually - could be treated elsewhere. Despite primary care practices delivering 412.6 million appointments in 2023, 31.2% of patients still report difficulty accessing GP care, driving inappropriate emergency service use. The National Audit Office’s 2023 report highlights this misalignment, with peak attendance at urgent treatment centres occurring during GP practice hours and Monday mornings showing twice the average attendance rates.
Rapid Health’s Integrated Approach
Rapid Health’s platform redefines urgency based on medical need rather than access method. The system implements four key innovations:
Systematic filtering of non-urgent inquiries toward scheduled appointments, immediately reducing pressure on urgent care resources
In-depth triage assessment that evaluates clinical needs independently of access channel
Streamlined navigation to appropriate facilities based on real-time availability
Standardised urgent care processes across all channels, ensuring consistent assessment criteria
This approach redesigns not just service delivery but reshapes patient behaviour. By providing consistent guidance regardless of entry point, patients naturally develop more appropriate care-seeking behaviours. Recent NHS Digital data confirms that practices offering enhanced access options see corresponding reductions in urgent care attendance rates.
The platform continuously refines its approach through dynamic analysis of patient interactions, immediately offering alternative appointments when appropriate and providing educational messaging about service use. This directly aligns with NHS England’s urgent care transformation objectives while addressing the National Audit Office’s recommendations for enhanced patient navigation and reduced system fragmentation.
