Emergency Department Digital Integration

During the initial coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, there was a significant drop in the number of patients using emergency departments in England. At the same time, the use of the NHS 111 telephone and online services increased. However, since lockdown has eased, emergency departments have seen their numbers increase again, towards pre-coronavirus levels. 

To keep patients safe, we must ensure that:

• emergency departments are reserved for emergency patients
• patients that do not need to attend an emergency department are directed elsewhere
• patients that need to access hospital services go directly to the appropriate department in the hospital and not via the emergency department 

NHS 111 makes it easier and safer for patients to get the right advice or treatment when they urgently need it and, increasingly, by being able to book direct appointments or time slots into a service that is right for them.

From December 2020, the EDDI product will enable NHS 111 providers to give patients a time slot to attend an emergency department. 

The system will allow the emergency department to control their capacity and monitor the number of patients arriving at a certain time.

The EDDI product is a web-based platform that can be accessed via any modern web browser. Patient information, including the clinical triage, will be sent via NHS 111 ITK CDA referral messages to the EDDI from 111 telephone and online systems.

The strategic direction for appointment booking (using the Care Connect standards) into emergency departments from NHS 111 remains system-to-system integration. This is the optimum solution - it will establish a stable, long-term platform and provide a seamless experience for users.

Information for developers can be found on the NHS API hub, including the Care Connect specification for urgent and emergency care appointment booking and the supplier conformance catalogue. 

If you need to report an issue with EDDI to the National Service Desk, you can do so by either calling 0300 303 5035, emailing [email protected] or by logging a ticket on their self-service portal.

You need login credentials to access the portal. These can be requested by contacting us on the phone number or email address above.