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Readers share their experiences of A&E Readers share their experiences of A&E
(5 months later)
Patients arrving at hospital needing emergency treatment are being abandoned on trolleys in other parts of hospitals according to nurses and doctors. Many patients are having to spend the night in units designed for heart surgery or for plastering broken limbs because there are too few beds to cope.Patients arrving at hospital needing emergency treatment are being abandoned on trolleys in other parts of hospitals according to nurses and doctors. Many patients are having to spend the night in units designed for heart surgery or for plastering broken limbs because there are too few beds to cope.
The Royal College of Nursing and the body representing A&E nurses said a combination of winter pressures, an ageing population and cuts to social care support are the causes behind the rise in people seeking these services.The Royal College of Nursing and the body representing A&E nurses said a combination of winter pressures, an ageing population and cuts to social care support are the causes behind the rise in people seeking these services.
What's your experience of visiting A&E? Share your story in the thread below. We'll post a selection of comments above the line as they come in.What's your experience of visiting A&E? Share your story in the thread below. We'll post a selection of comments above the line as they come in.
MunchybunchMunchybunch
Yesterday evening, night, early hours of this morning I have endured a 7 hour wait to see a doctor in A&E with my elderly and clearly very unwell mother. She had a raging temperature and was strugling to breathe. Everyone was complaining to the Triage nurse because of the delays in being seen. He said to a lady in her 70s and I quote "Every hospital is struggling like this. This is the NHS and it is only going to get worse".Yesterday evening, night, early hours of this morning I have endured a 7 hour wait to see a doctor in A&E with my elderly and clearly very unwell mother. She had a raging temperature and was strugling to breathe. Everyone was complaining to the Triage nurse because of the delays in being seen. He said to a lady in her 70s and I quote "Every hospital is struggling like this. This is the NHS and it is only going to get worse".
My poor mum was falling asleep, she said she felt like she couldnt go on. To make matters worse when her name was called there were no wheelchairs available so we had to walk. When she got to where the doctors make their assessments a nurse shouted "why hasnt that woman got a wheelchair, get her one now". A total disgraceful shambles. Young fellas with a bit of a limp were being seen before very very unwell elderly people, the Triage system isnt fit for purpose and the CONDEMS are deliberately running the NHS into the ground. Unless I was dying I would have gone home.My poor mum was falling asleep, she said she felt like she couldnt go on. To make matters worse when her name was called there were no wheelchairs available so we had to walk. When she got to where the doctors make their assessments a nurse shouted "why hasnt that woman got a wheelchair, get her one now". A total disgraceful shambles. Young fellas with a bit of a limp were being seen before very very unwell elderly people, the Triage system isnt fit for purpose and the CONDEMS are deliberately running the NHS into the ground. Unless I was dying I would have gone home.
JackdslipperJackdslipper
Visited the local Hospital A&E last week, following a call to the 111 service. It was the worst experience I've ever had at a Hospital!Visited the local Hospital A&E last week, following a call to the 111 service. It was the worst experience I've ever had at a Hospital!
It took over 2 hours to see the triage nurse for a significant head injury! After another few hours we still hadn't been seen, I was thinking of calling an ambulance!It took over 2 hours to see the triage nurse for a significant head injury! After another few hours we still hadn't been seen, I was thinking of calling an ambulance!
The staff morale was terrible and those waiting to be seen getting close to a state of revolt - some had been waiting over six hours.The staff morale was terrible and those waiting to be seen getting close to a state of revolt - some had been waiting over six hours.
Clearly the NHS is going backwards now, and its not down to the staff.Clearly the NHS is going backwards now, and its not down to the staff.
Its is down to staffing cuts, spending cuts, management targets and this Governments drive for privatization.Its is down to staffing cuts, spending cuts, management targets and this Governments drive for privatization.
Obviously playing with the health and lives of patients is acceptable if you can blame the nursing and medical staff for the failures and demand more privatization to sort out the "Union"Obviously playing with the health and lives of patients is acceptable if you can blame the nursing and medical staff for the failures and demand more privatization to sort out the "Union"
This Government cares not about people and is arrogant enough to just feed us all lies.This Government cares not about people and is arrogant enough to just feed us all lies.
David685David685
I have just been through it twice in three months. Kept on a trolley all day, once discharged after 14 hours, once sent to a Gastro unit and put in a bed, now scheduled for a gall stone operation.I have just been through it twice in three months. Kept on a trolley all day, once discharged after 14 hours, once sent to a Gastro unit and put in a bed, now scheduled for a gall stone operation.
As far as I am concerned my treatment was excellent and the use of trolleys perfectly understandable while a diagnosis and referal was considered.As far as I am concerned my treatment was excellent and the use of trolleys perfectly understandable while a diagnosis and referal was considered.
If you think about it, A&E is actually a distribution centre, no one stays for long, you get shifted out for XRay, Scans, treatment or to a Ward, so it makes perfect sense to keep potential admissions on wheels until a clear decision is made.If you think about it, A&E is actually a distribution centre, no one stays for long, you get shifted out for XRay, Scans, treatment or to a Ward, so it makes perfect sense to keep potential admissions on wheels until a clear decision is made.
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