South Warwickshire and George Eliot are two of the most-improved A&E providers in England, with 80% of patients now seen in A&E within four hours – a 14% improvement on the previous year.
A key factor has been reducing avoidable attendances. As of November 2025, corridor care at George Eliot Hospital has been eradicated through a range of initiatives, such as the Out-of-Hours Call Before Convey (CBC) Frailty Service.
South Warwickshire already had an established in-hours Frailty Line, allowing West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) clinicians to contact specialists 8am – 8pm for advice through a phone service with a connection rate of under 30 seconds. However, there was no overnight equivalent, meaning decisions for frail patients often led to unnecessary conveyance to EDs.
To address this, the service was extended from 8pm to 8am using Consultant Connect. The aim was simple: support safer clinical decision-making, increase confidence for ambulance crews on scene, improve continuity into morning frailty services, and reduce avoidable ED attendance.
The pathway is used for frailty patients aged 65+ who don’t require hospital, but would benefit from specialist support at home. WMAS can access advice overnight, with patients then booked for contact from community ACPs from 8am the next day.
‘Our improvement in A&E performance across George Eliot and South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust has been driven by strong collaboration and innovation. Our partnership with Consultant Connect, alongside our out-of-hospital frailty pathways, including overnight ‘call before convey’, has played a key role in helping patients receive the right care in the right place, whilst supporting clinically stable frail patients to avoid unnecessary ED attendance and the associated risks.’
– Rachel Williams, Associate Chief Operating Officer for George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust.
Initially launched in December 2025 as a 10-week Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA), early learning demonstrated that the model was safe, effective, and operationally sustainable. It has since become business as usual.
The results have been significant: 98% of frail patients on the pathway avoided an unnecessary ED visit.
If you’d like more information on how our frailty services can support your NHS area, please email hello@consultantconnect.org.uk or call 01865 951207.
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