A&E wait times of more than four hours to affect a million more people

[Northerner]

A million more patients could face waits of more than four hours in NHS A&E wards in England by 2019-20 in the absence of urgent action to address rising demand, the British Medical Association has said.

Analysis by the doctors’ union, shared exclusively with the Guardian, projects that the number of people attending emergency wards and waiting more than four hours to be treated could reach 3.7 million in three years’ time, up from 2.6 million in the year ending September 2017.

The forecast assumes numbers increase at the same rate as the average over the past five years and a “do-nothing scenario”, in which funding remains at its current level and the proposed measures to address pressures have little or no effect.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...four-hours-affect-million-more-people-bma-nhs

 

[mikeyB]

Well, if you don’t die in the first four hours, maybe you shouldn’t be there. Is this the new form of triage?

 

[grainger]

Have to say I love our nhs and just wish they were given more support.

Admittedly though, during my first miscarriage I was advised to go to a&e due to size of clots and if it wasn’t for a nurse who took pity on my tears and desperation I would have had to miscarry in the waiting room using public toilet cubicles - I wouldn’t have been seen by anyone for well over 3 hours.
Thankfully the nurse ensured I got taken to a presurgical room so that I had a private bathroom and a nurse regularly checking on me while I waited for the consultant.

Waiting times are shocking, the treatment many nurses etc receive because of it is shocking and if only our would government wake up and put the right support and finances in place. I fear for the nhs future

 

[trophywench]

Having been an in-patient just last week - one night last week I was treated to the following conversation at the nursing station just outside the bay doors. Staff Nurse answering phone - no, we can't take another patient - you know we are full! No we can't - we have two staff nurses and each of us is responsible for 13 patients, when the maximum each is supposed to have for patient safety reasons is 9 patients. We cannot take any more! Just on it the other Staff Nurse walked past and said 'Tell them if they insist on sending anyone else up here - then I shall walk out - so you will be on your own!' which was duly conveyed to whoever it was ........

At 67 I was the youngest in our bay, the others all over 80. Many of em incontinent to begin with, and then they'd eg fallen over and broken something. There was a bloke in a side ward - no idea what was up with him causing him to be there but he yelled a lot - one day coming back from the loo I overheard a nurse about to do his Obs saying Wish me luck - Last time I went in, he told me to F off and die!

I tell you what - those girls and chaps all deserve medals for just staying CHEERFUL in the first place.

 

[Ditto]

I'd have to be at death's door before I'd go A&E. I ended up there with that nose bleed, they insisted I go. I was out all day, ended up at another hospital, they sent me in a taxi. The only good thing was I had time to finish Gretchen's book! 🙄

 

[Wirrallass]

Having had occasion to visit our local walk~in A&E recently I have nothing but praise for all the medical staff in that busy department. During the 3 and half hours I was there i wasn't kept waiting for more than 10-15minutes at most. There was a procedure in place:~
Check in at Reception ~ wait to see triage nurse ~ see triage nurse ~ wait to see a doctor ~ seen by doctor ~ discussion ~ sent for x rays ~ seen straight away to have x rays ~ back to waiting room to see doctor again ~ seen by doctor who took 4 phials of blood ~ sent back to x-ray dept for more x rays ~ back to waiting room ~ called in to have ECG and B/P monitored ~ wait in waiting room ~ called in to see same doctor. Discussion. Discharged with medication to take home.

It was the well organised procedure that kept this busy A&E department on the move. There were posters on the walls clearly indicating those procedures so I could see where I was at and where I would be going next. Excellent professional care and service ~ I cannot find fault at all with this Teaching Hospital's A&E Department.

However, I do have empathy for patients who have to wait lengthy periods of time before they are attended to, in other hospitals.