What consideration has the Welsh Government given to establishing a remote decision-support system to assist health professionals in minor injuries units across the Welsh NHS and prevent unnecessary emergency department attendance?
In response to the NHS Planning Framework 2025-26, all health boards are establishing remote Single Points of Access (SPOAs) to enable comprehensive clinical patient assessments to be undertaken and determine the most appropriate care options to best meet patient need.
An SPOA is a centralised hub that enables health professionals, such as paramedics, GPs, and 111 and 999 call handlers to access advice from clinicians about the most appropriate care for a patient’s needs. For example, this could be access to urgent care services in the community, to a same-day emergence centre, to an emergency department or direct admission to a ward.
The aim is to ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate care setting quickly and efficiently, reducing unnecessary emergency department attendances and hospital admission. Some people may be discharged over the telephone, if appropriate.