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Junior doctor says Welsh hospitals at 'breaking point' | Junior doctor says Welsh hospitals at 'breaking point' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A junior doctor who chairs a British Medical Association (BMA) committee in Wales says Welsh hospital emergency units are at "breaking point". | A junior doctor who chairs a British Medical Association (BMA) committee in Wales says Welsh hospital emergency units are at "breaking point". |
Dr Dai Samuel says A&E departments are so busy at times that patients have had to be treated in store rooms. | Dr Dai Samuel says A&E departments are so busy at times that patients have had to be treated in store rooms. |
He said he would not want to see the same level of care for his own family. | He said he would not want to see the same level of care for his own family. |
The Welsh government said it was "disappointed" by the comments and would be prepared to receive more information about the claims. | The Welsh government said it was "disappointed" by the comments and would be prepared to receive more information about the claims. |
Dr Samuel, who chairs the BMA's junior doctors Welsh committee, told BBC Radio Wales that he thought patients were sometimes being put at risk. | Dr Samuel, who chairs the BMA's junior doctors Welsh committee, told BBC Radio Wales that he thought patients were sometimes being put at risk. |
"I think it was a very difficult statement to make really," he said. | "I think it was a very difficult statement to make really," he said. |
"At times it is good care, it is above standard. But then at many other times it's substandard." | "At times it is good care, it is above standard. But then at many other times it's substandard." |
He said a reduction in hospital bed numbers, increasingly complex medical cases and a lack of medical staff - both doctors and nurses - was to blame. | He said a reduction in hospital bed numbers, increasingly complex medical cases and a lack of medical staff - both doctors and nurses - was to blame. |
Staffing gaps | Staffing gaps |
The doctor said shifts in A&E units often only had two doctors seeing dozens of patients. | The doctor said shifts in A&E units often only had two doctors seeing dozens of patients. |
"You may be needing to get one of them into intensive care, you may have a cardiac arrest coming in, you may have three or four others who are very unwell," he explained. | "You may be needing to get one of them into intensive care, you may have a cardiac arrest coming in, you may have three or four others who are very unwell," he explained. |
"If there are only two of you, then it is very difficult to provide the best standard of care possible." | "If there are only two of you, then it is very difficult to provide the best standard of care possible." |
Dr Samuel's comments come a week after more than half of Wales' A&E consultants signed a letter to the health minister, warning their departments are at the point of meltdown and patients are dying as a result. | Dr Samuel's comments come a week after more than half of Wales' A&E consultants signed a letter to the health minister, warning their departments are at the point of meltdown and patients are dying as a result. |
Ensuring that enough doctors were on duty was also becoming increasingly difficult, the doctor claimed. | |
"I've just finished work and I've already had two requests about whether I'd be able to work in other hospitals tonight as a locum to cover gaps in A&E," said Dr Samuel, who is based at the Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. | |
"That just reflects how bad the system is at the moment. | "That just reflects how bad the system is at the moment. |
"It is ridiculous at times, you've actually got more gaps (in the rotas) than doctors there." | "It is ridiculous at times, you've actually got more gaps (in the rotas) than doctors there." |
The junior doctor said patients were regularly diverted from overflowing emergency units to other hospitals. | The junior doctor said patients were regularly diverted from overflowing emergency units to other hospitals. |
Dr Samuel said sometimes it meant patients had to be treated on trolleys, or even in store rooms. | Dr Samuel said sometimes it meant patients had to be treated on trolleys, or even in store rooms. |
"We certainly have had to examine patients and initially triage them in areas that are normally used as storage rooms. They are big rooms - you can fit a trolley in them, but they are not an official bay or a bed," he confirmed. | "We certainly have had to examine patients and initially triage them in areas that are normally used as storage rooms. They are big rooms - you can fit a trolley in them, but they are not an official bay or a bed," he confirmed. |
"If I was a patient or a relative of that patient, I certainly wouldn't want that for my mom or dad. | "If I was a patient or a relative of that patient, I certainly wouldn't want that for my mom or dad. |
"Less beds, more patients, and not enough money. Ultimately, at the end of the day, if you haven't got the money you can't run the hospitals properly." | "Less beds, more patients, and not enough money. Ultimately, at the end of the day, if you haven't got the money you can't run the hospitals properly." |
Listening to staff | Listening to staff |
The Welsh government has responded to Dr Samuel's comments by stating that "inadequate or unsafe care is never acceptable". | The Welsh government has responded to Dr Samuel's comments by stating that "inadequate or unsafe care is never acceptable". |
"We are disappointed to hear that these comments have been made and are prepared to receive further information about the problems described," said a government spokesperson. | "We are disappointed to hear that these comments have been made and are prepared to receive further information about the problems described," said a government spokesperson. |
"All NHS clinicians must report any concerns they have about care quality within their organisations to enable necessary improvements without delay." | "All NHS clinicians must report any concerns they have about care quality within their organisations to enable necessary improvements without delay." |
The government said its own records did not show that staff are working excessive hours, and said it had also commissioned a staff survey across the Welsh NHS. | The government said its own records did not show that staff are working excessive hours, and said it had also commissioned a staff survey across the Welsh NHS. |
"The results will be published later in the spring and will provide first hand information on current levels of employee satisfaction and engagement across the service," added the spokesperson. | "The results will be published later in the spring and will provide first hand information on current levels of employee satisfaction and engagement across the service," added the spokesperson. |
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