The Big A&E Survey

During 2024 there was a 5.6 per cent increase in patient visits to Accident and Emergency Departments (A&Es) in hospitals in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW), mainly due to a rise in the number of ‘walk-in’ patients.

In order to bring waiting times down, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board undertook and engagement project to help us understand why more people are going to A&Es instead of using other NHS services, such as GP surgeries, Minor Injury Units or the NHS 111 service.  

Between April and August 2025, we worked with Healthwatch and hospitals in Bath, Swindon and Salisbury to find out more through the Big A&E Survey.

Almost 1600 people took part in an online survey or face to face interview in an A&E department to help us explore why patients choose EDs and their awareness of other treatment options.

The findings are currently being analysed and shared with system partners to understand what’s behind the rising demand and to make recommendations for plans to reduce this demand and improve communication with specific population groups needing support.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who took the time to complete the survey or talk to us at an A&E. Your help is very much appreciated and will help us to understand more about demand and improve services across BSW.