ABSTRACT
Improving the quality of emergency care, and reducing waiting times in hospital accident and emergency departments, has long been a government priority. This was recognized by the introduction of challenging new targets as part of The NHS Plan for Reforming Emergency Care (Department of Health, 2001c). The aim was that, by the end of 2004, no patient would spend more than four hours from arrival in an accident and emergency department to admission, transfer, or discharge. The strategy for reform
proposed ways in which targets could be met by adopting a ‘whole systems’ approach. The modernization programme for accident and emergency that started in 1999 had attracted investment (across England) of £115 million, and this new reform agenda was allocated a further £100 million.
