The high intensity use (HIU) service was set up by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust in August 2023 to monitor and support patients who frequently attend A&E.

Neil Thomas, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust's high intensity use service lead, explained: ‘A very small percentage of patients account for 16% of all emergency department attendances in Somerset, as well as 26% of hospital admissions, and 29% of those brought to hospital by ambulance.

‘Our service is helping us to identify those people who are our top attenders, so we can find out about their unmet needs in the community, and what we're not getting right for them.'

The service resulted in a 58% drop in A&E attendance by the patient cohort in the first nine months.

Since its launch, the service has supported 141 people, who previously had 1,963 A&E attendances between them. Following the HIU service's involvement, their attendances fell to 1,189 – a reduction of 48% across all ages, well above the 20-40% reduction target set by the national standard (NHS Right Care).