Staff Huddle Comms Briefing UEC capacity and front door flow
• New UEC capacity and the Acute Floor reconfiguration have gone live successfully, helping to strengthen front-door pathways and improve flow across MEC. • SDEC is now based in the former AMU area, with the new Acute Assessment Unit (AAU) located in the previous Medical SDEC space. • Additional inpatient capacity continues to come online, including the new Modular Wards at RSH, supporting flow out of acute areas and easing pressure at the front door. Ambulance handover and flow priorities
• We have established a clear and safe maximum ambulance handover guideline to support timely handover, patient safety and early escalation when delays occur. • Offload to Assess (OTA) and Integrated Front Door arrangements continue to help teams make earlier decisions and support improved flow, particularly during peak demand. Frailty Same Day Emergency Care (FSDEC) – PRH
• FSDEC is now operational at PRH, supporting frail and vulnerable patients at the front door. Frailty screening takes place from 7am on weekdays, with patients discussed at the 8am huddle and, where appropriate, pulled into FSDEC from around 8.30am. • FSDEC remains a developing service, and colleagues are asked to follow the agreed referral and board-management processes to ensure patients are not missed. Operational focus and system working
• Teams across emergency, inpatient and community services continue to work closely together to support timely discharge and maintain system flow during sustained demand. • Early escalation of risks relating to capacity, acuity or delays continues to be important in supporting safe, coordinated decision-making. Key takeaways for today UEC improvement remains a shared priority. Please continue to follow agreed front-door and FSDEC pathways, escalate concerns early – particularly around ambulance handover, capacity and flow – and support timely discharge wherever possible. Thank you for your continued professionalism and teamwork.
7 January 2026