Improving patient access and experience of Same Day Urgent Care

Working independently on behalf of Somerset NHS, Evolving Communities gathered public feedback about Same Day Urgent Care (SDUC) and we used this insight to help guide changes that will improve people’s access to services.

Supporting a review of urgent care

Following closure of the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) in Minehead in 2022, we were asked by NHS Somerset to gather public feedback about how SDUC is provided in West Somerset. This public engagement work was then extended across the whole of Somerset during 2023 to inform NHS Somerset’s review of urgent care.

Our work

With support from Healthwatch Somerset, we spoke to local people at community groups, libraries, and other public spaces, and we also ran an online survey. We gathered feedback from 736 people and produced 10 reports about how residents view and use Same Day Urgent Care services in different areas of Somerset.

We made recommendations to help address the issues raised in each local area and across Somerset. These were mainly around improving public information and communication to raise awareness and understanding of the different SDUC services and treatment options, and further investigation and action to improve access to public transport and GPs services.

We shared the reports with NHS Somerset at the end of 2023 to inform their strategy for developing Same Day Urgent Care in the country. They welcomed the reports, acknowledged the value of public feedback in helping to shape services, and set out how they will use the reports to guide and implement change.

Read the reports

How residents view and use same day urgent care services in: