More cash for team tackling avoidable A&E visits

The specialist team are working to reduce frequent visits to A&E

A team trying to reduce the number of people frequently attending A&E departments without a medical emergency will continue operating.

The High Impact Use team (HIU) in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said many regular A&E visitors experienced loneliness, financial problems, or poor physical and mental health, rather than medical urgencies.

Analysis suggests the approach, across England, is helping reduce these A&E attendances and unplanned hospital admissions by at least 40%.

The NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board (ICB) has put forward £600,000 to keep the HIU team running in 2026-27.

The scheme - operated by Cambridgeshire County Council - aims to find alternative ways to meet the needs of visitors who do not require clinical support at any of Peterborough, Hinchingbrooke and Addenbrooke's hospitals.

By focusing on individuals' concerns, the team connects people with the right combination of health, housing, benefits and community services.

Locally, the project has already received an outstanding achievement award from one of the county's NHS hospital trusts.

In 2023, the NHS in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said it spent an estimated £28m on emergency care for about 4,500 people who attended A&E between five and 10 times a year - an average of £6,200 per person.

The county council said the first year of the project had proved a success, and many users were more confident in navigating support services.

Alison Whelan, chairwoman of the communities, social mobility and inclusion committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "This project is transforming the way we support residents who turn repeatedly to A&E, often because they don't know where else to go.

"By listening, understanding their needs, and connecting them with the right support, we're improving lives and reducing pressure on our health services."