Urgent and emergency care performance worsened at Royal Stoke University Hospital last month it has been revealed – but a new centre has opened to provide treatment for patients with non-life-threatening conditions.

The Urgent Treatment Centre aims to offer faster access to care for adults and children while reducing avoidable pressure on the Royal Stoke's emergency department.

The facility opened to patients last month.

But urgent and emergency care performance at University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust, which runs Royal Stoke and Stafford's County Hospital, remains "below the standard required for safe, timely patient care", a report to the trust board said.

The report, presented to Wednesday's board meeting (7 September), added: "Performance improved steadily up to April, deteriorated following the withdrawal of winter capacity after Easter, recovered towards the previous trajectory in July, and became more variable again in August.

"The position worsened in September, with consistently poor ambulance handover performance, longer waits within ED (the emergency department) and increased numbers of patients awaiting admission.

"The evidence indicates that the principal constraint is internal hospital flow rather than overall demand.

"Attendances have remained broadly stable since last winter, although there were intermittent spikes in attendances and ambulance conveyances during August; even on some of the busiest days, good handover performance was achieved, demonstrating that demand alone does not explain the deterioration."

Health services regulator Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected urgent and emergency care services across both hospital sites in August.

Inspectors raised "immediate concerns" including corridor care, medicines management and aspects of acute medical care, the board report said.

Helen Ashley, Director of Strategy and Performance at UHNM, told fellow board members: "Out of these visits, a couple of immediate actions were required to be taken, as well as further actions to be done. We have received formal communication from the CQC in respect of these actions and Anne-Marie (Riley, Chief Nurse at UHNM)has been in regular contact with the CQC in respect of concerns.

"The CQC appear to be assured of these actions.

"These conversations will be ongoing."

UHNM's response includes closing the emergency department corridor to new patients.

The trust has also reviewed medicines arrangements and progressed a wider programme of improvement.

But the closure of 15 corridor spaces in the emergency department has "reduced operational flexibility", the trust board report said.

It added: "Urgent and emergency care performance remains below the standard we expect for our patients, with September proving particularly challenging.

"The data confirms that demand alone is not driving the deterioration.

"The principal constraint is the inconsistent flow of patients through the hospital, reflected in high bed occupancy, later discharges and increased numbers awaiting admission.

"We understand the operational conditions required to improve performance and have demonstrated that, when capacity is created earlier in the day, ambulance handovers and time spent in the emergency department improve.

"Our immediate priority is therefore to translate this evidence into consistent daily delivery—strengthening ward processes, increasing timely discharge, reducing avoidable admissions and accelerating the movement of patients who are clinically ready to proceed."

The "much-awaited" Urgent Treatment Centre opened at Royal Stoke last month, Ms Ashley said.

She added: "This is an opportunity for us to stream patients away from the main emergency department, into a more appropriate setting, with the attempt to decongest a very busy emergency department by having an alternative stream for patients to follow."