Through standardisation of NEWS2, we can reduce the number of patients whose conditions deteriorate whilst in hospital, and potentially save over 1,800 lives a year. However, confusion caused by the current variation in practice can compromise patient safety, something that would be eliminated by use of a common tool.
NEWS2 has seen widespread uptake across the NHS in England – at present 100% of ambulance trusts and 76% of acute trusts are using NEWS2, with other early warning scores in place in other areas. NEWS2 has been endorsed by NHS England and NHS Improvement – for use in acute and ambulance settings. In December 2017, an updated version of NEWS, NEWS2 was published. NEWS is a tool developed by the Royal College of Physicians which improves the detection and response to clinical deterioration in adult patients and is a key element of patient safety and improving patient outcomes.
