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| A&E waiting times: Readers' reveal mixed experiences | A&E waiting times: Readers' reveal mixed experiences |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Readers of the BBC News website have been sharing their experiences of A&E. | Readers of the BBC News website have been sharing their experiences of A&E. |
| It comes on the day that NHS figures were published, showing waiting times in England between October and December were the worst for a decade. | It comes on the day that NHS figures were published, showing waiting times in England between October and December were the worst for a decade. |
| However, despite missing the target of seeing 95% of A&E patients within four hours, the performance in England is still better than elsewhere in the UK. | However, despite missing the target of seeing 95% of A&E patients within four hours, the performance in England is still better than elsewhere in the UK. |
| In Wales, just 83.8% of patients in November were seen inside four hours, while in Northern Ireland the figure was 80.5%. In Scotland, 93.5% were seen within four hours in September. | In Wales, just 83.8% of patients in November were seen inside four hours, while in Northern Ireland the figure was 80.5%. In Scotland, 93.5% were seen within four hours in September. |
| 'The NHS is patently underfunded' | 'The NHS is patently underfunded' |
| David Cunningham, 56, from Fareham in Hampshire describes what happened after his 81-year-old mother collapsed on Monday night. | David Cunningham, 56, from Fareham in Hampshire describes what happened after his 81-year-old mother collapsed on Monday night. |
| "We dialled 999 at 21:07 requesting an ambulance. It didn't arrive until Tuesday morning - she spent more than 11 hours on the floor. | "We dialled 999 at 21:07 requesting an ambulance. It didn't arrive until Tuesday morning - she spent more than 11 hours on the floor. |
| "She suffers from confusion but has problems with her legs following a hip replacement. | "She suffers from confusion but has problems with her legs following a hip replacement. |
| "My sister is a qualified nurse and was trying to comfort my mum. She phoned 999 four times. We were told it would be a two-hour wait, then four hours, then six. | |
| "My father, who is in his nineties, was up all night looking out of the window to see if there was an ambulance. | "My father, who is in his nineties, was up all night looking out of the window to see if there was an ambulance. |
| "Our nearest hospital, Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, apparently has ambulances stacked outside with patients being treated in the ambulances whist waiting to even get into A&E. | "Our nearest hospital, Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, apparently has ambulances stacked outside with patients being treated in the ambulances whist waiting to even get into A&E. |
| "Free at the point of delivery? We haven't even got to the point of delivery. | "Free at the point of delivery? We haven't even got to the point of delivery. |
| "It's not acceptable. It's called an emergency service, and over 11 hours waiting is not an emergency service. | "It's not acceptable. It's called an emergency service, and over 11 hours waiting is not an emergency service. |
| "I don't think the NHS is coping. It's patently underfunded." | "I don't think the NHS is coping. It's patently underfunded." |
| 'Patients don't feel distressed or let down' | 'Patients don't feel distressed or let down' |
| Dr Gulliford works in acute medicine at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust. | Dr Gulliford works in acute medicine at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust. |
| "I think there is an increasingly elderly population and, over time, these people are going to put greater demands on the healthcare system. | "I think there is an increasingly elderly population and, over time, these people are going to put greater demands on the healthcare system. |
| "We have seen a large number of people coming to A&E. | "We have seen a large number of people coming to A&E. |
| "The way to solve the problems - particularly when we hit winter and there is more flu virus, coughs, colds and pneumonias around - is through collaborative working and innovation. | "The way to solve the problems - particularly when we hit winter and there is more flu virus, coughs, colds and pneumonias around - is through collaborative working and innovation. |
| "It's about thinking about working together as a team to find the best way to treat the patient in the right place at the right time. | "It's about thinking about working together as a team to find the best way to treat the patient in the right place at the right time. |
| "Morale generally in the A&E department at Wigan is still maintained. | "Morale generally in the A&E department at Wigan is still maintained. |
| "I've not got a sense that our patients are all feeling distressed or let down by the system locally. | "I've not got a sense that our patients are all feeling distressed or let down by the system locally. |
| "As long as we communicate to patients that there may be a delay in being seen sometimes at very busy periods, they are, in the main, quite accepting of that." | "As long as we communicate to patients that there may be a delay in being seen sometimes at very busy periods, they are, in the main, quite accepting of that." |
| 'The good has to be told' | 'The good has to be told' |
| Sue Drysdale, 58, is a bank clerk who recently attended Croydon University Hospital for a broken finger. | Sue Drysdale, 58, is a bank clerk who recently attended Croydon University Hospital for a broken finger. |
| "I have nothing but praise for the staff there. | "I have nothing but praise for the staff there. |
| "I broke my finger in November and was going back and forth into hospital well into December as, at first, the fracture was not diagnosed. | "I broke my finger in November and was going back and forth into hospital well into December as, at first, the fracture was not diagnosed. |
| "In A&E, you get a card if you should be seen earlier than some, which is a great idea. | "In A&E, you get a card if you should be seen earlier than some, which is a great idea. |
| "I was told to stay rather than go to minor injuries or anywhere else. | "I was told to stay rather than go to minor injuries or anywhere else. |
| "I had a bit of a wait to see a triage nurse, but not too long. I waited around two and a half hours. | "I had a bit of a wait to see a triage nurse, but not too long. I waited around two and a half hours. |
| "There seemed to be a lot of people waiting who looked as if a GP visit would have sufficed. | "There seemed to be a lot of people waiting who looked as if a GP visit would have sufficed. |
| "I can't fault my treatment. I think we need to stop knocking the NHS and try to find a way that would wheedle out the abusers of the service. | "I can't fault my treatment. I think we need to stop knocking the NHS and try to find a way that would wheedle out the abusers of the service. |
| "I've seen staff getting abused and sworn at; sometimes the good has to be told. | "I've seen staff getting abused and sworn at; sometimes the good has to be told. |
| "There were people who had been assessed as not being urgent, and if that's the case, of course there is going to be a bit of a wait." | "There were people who had been assessed as not being urgent, and if that's the case, of course there is going to be a bit of a wait." |
| 'It was bedlam' | 'It was bedlam' |
| Richard Preston, 67, from Beckenham in Kent says he spent 20 hours on a trolley in A&E at Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington, Kent, on 14 December 2014. | Richard Preston, 67, from Beckenham in Kent says he spent 20 hours on a trolley in A&E at Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington, Kent, on 14 December 2014. |
| "I'd acquired a hacking cough and a temperature. Unfortunately, I've also got a low white blood cell count. It's a condition that means that if I begin to run a temperature, I need to contact my GP or a hospital. | "I'd acquired a hacking cough and a temperature. Unfortunately, I've also got a low white blood cell count. It's a condition that means that if I begin to run a temperature, I need to contact my GP or a hospital. |
| "I rang NHS Direct, and after a conversation they told me to go straight to the Princess Royal. | "I rang NHS Direct, and after a conversation they told me to go straight to the Princess Royal. |
| "I got to A&E and went through triage. Over the phone I was told a doctor would be waiting to see me. When I got there it appeared there was an overlap. Triage put me in a queue with everybody else. | "I got to A&E and went through triage. Over the phone I was told a doctor would be waiting to see me. When I got there it appeared there was an overlap. Triage put me in a queue with everybody else. |
| "Then I was taken through to A&E proper and another mini-triage. A&E had clearly been under pressure for some time. Reception were abrupt and told my wife and I we could be waiting for six or seven hours. | "Then I was taken through to A&E proper and another mini-triage. A&E had clearly been under pressure for some time. Reception were abrupt and told my wife and I we could be waiting for six or seven hours. |
| "After a blood test, I was put on a trolley and wheeled away. Because of my condition I need to be kept away from others. | "After a blood test, I was put on a trolley and wheeled away. Because of my condition I need to be kept away from others. |
| "I got into a room at midnight and was there, on the trolley, until around 19:00 the following day. | "I got into a room at midnight and was there, on the trolley, until around 19:00 the following day. |
| "I was told that I was the youngest person there needing a bed, but that there wasn't a bed available. | "I was told that I was the youngest person there needing a bed, but that there wasn't a bed available. |
| "It was bedlam. There was a lot of noise. I could hear people coughing and a lot of activity throughout the night, including small children crying - it was fairly distressing. | "It was bedlam. There was a lot of noise. I could hear people coughing and a lot of activity throughout the night, including small children crying - it was fairly distressing. |
| "Staff were clearly under a lot of pressure. Food and drink were in short supply. I wasn't at all happy about being left in that situation." | "Staff were clearly under a lot of pressure. Food and drink were in short supply. I wasn't at all happy about being left in that situation." |