Cost of Living Crisis and ED Care: Opto Health Helping to Enhance Care Access

Opto Health represent an innovative digital solution to the burdens placed on EDs by the cost of living crisis.

The UK is still in the grip of a cost of living crisis, and as we approach November 1st (the day that winter officially begins for the NHS), it’s clear that the current crisis could have serious implications for the already precarious situation in Emergency Departments (EDs) across the country.

Inflation was at 6.7% in August 2023, with wages failing to keep up with increased costs. Food prices have been steadily going up - the cost of sugar in supermarkets has increased by 55% in the last year, according to ONS data. One factor behind these increases is Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has impacted grain supplies across Europe. The conflict has also led to skyrocketing energy prices due to Russia’s supply of natural gas. Energy payments rose from ￡108 in May 2020 to ￡193 in July 2023.

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The impact on marginalised groups

?The crisis raises significant problems concerning health access for marginalised and vulnerable communities, particularly regarding EDs. EDs are already under significant strain, with NHS England data from February 2023 revealing that 10% of everyone who attended an ED that month had to wait at least 12 hours. A survey run by NHS Providers revealed the additional pressure that the cost of living crisis placed on the NHS; 72% of clinicians reported an increase in mental health presentations due to stress, debt and poverty.

Increased ED wait times adversely affect the poorest in society. The cost of living crisis already presents barriers to health access for those struggling with the crisis. Financial strain can prevent people from seeking medical aid due to increased prescription charges, fears over the long-term costs and transportation costs. NHS Digital data from 2020-1 also showed that there were around twice as many attendances to EDs in England for the 10% of the population living in the most deprived areas (2.2 million), compared with the least deprived 10% (1.1 million).

The most vulnerable people in society often present at EDs instead of registering with a GP due to housing insecurity, homelessness and mental health issues which are all exacerbated by the cost of living crisis. Indeed, a report by the British Red Cross in 2021 revealed that people who frequently attend EDs make up less than 1% of England’s population but represent more than 16% of ED attendances.

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The impact on staff

It’s therefore clear that increased waiting times at EDs adversely affect those at the margins of society, and those waiting times look set to lengthen as a result of the cost of living crisis. A survey carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in spring 2023 showed that in Scotland, 1 in 4 adults had accessed the NHS as a result of the cost of living crisis and its impacts on their health. Further pressure is placed on EDs due to the adverse effects of the crisis on staff. The NHS Providers survey revealed that 61% of respondents reported a rise in staff sickness absence due to mental health linked to the cost of living crisis. Many staff are struggling to afford to come to work, and the rise in inflation led to two-thirds of respondents reporting a significant number of staff leaving trusts for other more competitive sectors such as retail.

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Opto Health's solution

Opto Health’s innovative technology has been designed to relieve pressure from EDs. The intuitive digital triage system, accessed by ED attendees upon arrival, swiftly categorises each person with a clinical priority score, and redirects them to a new pathway: be it remaining in the ED, moving to a co-located Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) or the scheduling of a remote telemedicine consultation at home. This reduces a significant burden on staff to make these decisions regarding priority, as well as streamlining the process of presenting at an ED for patients also. The technology is designed for seamless adaptation - it’s entirely interoperable with the Trust’s clinical system and NHS Spine, meaning staff don’t have to log on to an additional platform. A study published in Health Services Journal by NHS analysts from Bristol University found that the cost of living crisis would lead to an estimated 5 to 13% additional demand for ED services. Fuel poverty, a key facet of the current cost of living crisis, leads to an increase of deaths related to cold homes (which is estimated annually at 10,000).

It’s therefore abundantly clear that harnessing technology to relieve the burden on EDs is essential, not least because those most affected by lengthy ED wait times are those at the bottom of the wealth scale, and those most adversely affected by the cost of living crisis. Opto Health’s digital triage system represents a genuine opportunity to improve the experience of attending EDs for both patients and staff alike, using technology to assist the essential work already being done by staff, while removing barriers to health access for marginalised groups in society. Adopting Opto Health’s system could significantly reduce the additional strains placed on EDs by the cost of living crisis.

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Through rapid improvement and innovation initiatives focused on ED triage, we partner with healthcare organisations to streamline admissions activity - helping our partners to optimise patient journeys.

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To learn how we support Trusts and Systems across the NHS, visit: www.optohealth.co.uk