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  1. Simon Smith, Quality Improvement Editor
  1. Emergency Department, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, 0xfordshire, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Simon Smith, Emergency Department, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford OX4 1SZ, UK; Simon.Smith{at}ouh.nhs.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2020-210174

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    We hope you are keeping well in these difficult times. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues be a main feature in this issue of the EMJ, as it has in recent editions.

    Quality and safety in emergency departments

    Two articles in this issue focus on Quality and Safety of clinical care within Emergency Departments (EDs).

    The International Federation of Emergency Medicine (IFEM) have produced a Quality Framework, and in the article by Hansen et al, the authors provide a summary of this document. This article provides an excellent introduction into the particular issues within Emergency Care when it comes to ensuring high quality and safe care at a strategic level. The patients expectations and the consequent obligations of the system (and clinicians) are described. The article neatly describes the ‘enablers’ and ‘barriers’ to quality of care, and provides suggestions regarding measurement and activities to support delivery of high-quality care. For me, the take-home message is that prioritisation, co-ordination, and integration of emergency care is vital. Further work on measurement and demonstration of quality of care is needed.

    While the focus of the Hansen et al article is strategic elements of quality of emergency care, Lim et al …

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