London's urgent care 'fails patients'

Almost half of the capital's health trusts were given the lowest possible rating for their urgent care services.

The Healthcare Commission classed 13 of the capital's 31 primary care trusts as among the "least well performing" in the country. Only five were classed as the best performing.

The watchdog today called on the government and PCTs to improve the system urgently.

The commission looked at how long patients wait in A&E departments and how easy it is to see GPs outside normal working hours, as well as other standards, to come up with the figures.

It revealed that London also accounts for almost half of the worst PCTs in the country, with 46 per cent of the lowest-rated trusts being in the capital.

Healthcare for London, which is currently carrying out health reforms in the capital, admitted the problems, while bosses said they were expecting the dire ratings.

A spokeswoman said: "The review highlights that although many areas of the capital are performing well above average, all Londoners deserve equal access to urgent and emergency services."

The organisation is introducing polyclinics as part of a package of changes aime d at improving "unplanned care" in London.

It wants patients to use the "super surgeries" for minor injuries instead of overburdening busy A&E departments.

The report showed that 97.9 per cent of patients who visit A&E departments were dealt with within the target four hours, but this varied widely.

In some areas up to 50 per cent of people who visited casualty could have seen their GP or used another service instead.

Anna Walker, chief executive of the Healthcare Commission, said: "People often don't know which services to use, and too often have to repeat their story time and again because services don't always share information effectively."

Sir Cyril Chantler, clinical co-chairman of Healthcare for London, said: "Sadly these London findings do not come as a surprise."