Reducing A&E pressures | News and events

People across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough now have access to a new minor injury specialist team who can provide faster access to treatment and care, helping to avoid unnecessary visits to A&E.

When local people contact NHS 111 – via the phone or online -for advice or treatment for a minor injury, an initial assessment with a call handler will determine whether they need a consultation with a Minor Injury Specialist Clinician who is on hand in the call centre to provide advice and can direct them to the most appropriate service or treatment.  

This can often be advice on self-care at home, but could also mean booking a GP appointment directly on the phone or attending a Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) or Urgent Treatment Centre for treatment or an X-Ray. Not only does this provide faster and more convenient access to treatment closer to home but helps to reduce pressure on local hospital A&E services.

During January and February 2023, the MICAS service dealt with over 1,000 cases across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Just over 80% of these were advised of alternative support and services available where previously they may have attended one of the local A&E departments.

Stacie Coburn, Executive Director of Performance and Assurance at NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, part of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICS, said:

“The MICAS service has made a real impact, helping local people to receive the right care at the right time whilst reducing pressure on our emergency services to ensure they can treat those most in need.

“Working alongside our health care providers we continue to look at new innovative ways in which we can improve access to our services and patient experience.”  

MICAS, which is run by HUC who provide the local NHS 111 service, was first trialled in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in 2021 as part of NHS 111 service and successfully fully implemented in January 2022. Following the success of the service in the region the MICAS service has now also been introduced in other areas including Luton and Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and West Essex.

Dr Sivanthi Sivakumar, Chief Medical Officer at HUC, said:

“At HUC, we are really proud to provide this innovative service together with our partners for our patients across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, ensuring they receive high quality care in the right place at the right time. The service really encapsulates what we do best: working collaboratively for our patients and whilst supporting the wider system. “

If you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do, NHS 111 can help.

You can contact the NHS 111 service online at www.111.nhs.uk or you can call 111 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your symptoms will be assessed, and you will be provided with healthcare advice.