What's it like attending A&E in East Kent?
Healthwatch Kent and EK360 have released a report looking at the A&E hospital departments in East Kent. We spoke to 50 people at William Harvey Hospital and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital to understand what led them to attend A&E—and whether their visit could have been avoided.
What We Found
- Most people had already tried to get help elsewhere. 88% had contacted at least one service before arriving at A&E.
- Nearly three-quarters were told to go to A&E. 74% were advised to attend by another service—most often their GP.
- Only 8% said they couldn’t get a GP appointment. This challenges the idea that A&E is used as a last resort due to poor access.
- One in five people didn’t know what else was available. 22% weren’t sure what alternatives to A&E existed.
What This Tells Us
People aren’t turning up to A&E because they don’t care or don’t know better. They’re often being sent there by other services, or they’re unsure where else to go. This was especially true for people living in urban areas and places with higher levels of deprivation.
What Needs to Change
- Clearer information about what services are available and when to use them.
- Better support to help people navigate the system.
- A review of GP referral practices to reduce unnecessary A&E visits.
This report adds to growing evidence that we need to rethink how urgent care works—and make sure people can get the right help, in the right place, at the right time.
Read the full report
You can download and read our full report here by clicking the button below.
A&E Attendance Insights, East Kent - Healthwatch Kent and EK360, October 2025
