A&E closures lead to rise in patient fatalities in nearby areas

Closing hospital accident and emergency (A&E) departments has knock-on effects that lead to more patient deaths, a US study has shown.

Shutting down a local casualty ward can have a significant adverse impact on the fate of patients at nearby hospitals, it is claimed.

Recent closure of an A&E unit increased the death rate of patients admitted to surrounding hospitals by 5%, the research conducted in San Francisco found.