Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of A&E infrastructure on (a) staff retention and (b) clinical safety at hospitals operating above design capacity.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of accident and emergency infrastructure on staff retention at hospitals operating above design capacity.

The Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how staff will be better supported through improved working environments, flexible working, enhanced wellbeing support, and action to address violence, racism, and harassment in the workplace.

Overcrowding and prolonged waits in emergency departments can affect patient and staff experience and create risks to the delivery of care. NHS organisations are responsible for ensuring that services are delivered safely and that appropriate clinical governance, escalation processes, and staffing arrangements are in place when pressures arise.

NHS England has published the Model Emergency Department and the Model Acute Pathway standards for the first 72 hours of care, providing a national framework to support earlier assessment, timely senior clinical review, faster clinical decision-making, and safer care for patients requiring urgent and emergency treatment.

In addition, the Government has announced £215.5 million of capital investment for 40 new and expanded urgent care facilities across England, increasing capacity across urgent and emergency care pathways and helping to reduce pressure on emergency departments.