A&E

[clippedgull]

Too many people using the system, and not enough staffing unless someone wants to correct me.
My brother had an appointment booked for 10am. My brother did not get seen until 2pm.

I can relate to that. I'm under the eye hospital and if I get seen within an hour of my appointment time I regard it as a miracle!

 

[EDS]

All in all, after having 2 x-rays, it being put back in and having a splint put on it would of took about half an hour. So, why 3 hours?!

You had two x-rays, so took up two radiographers time(maybe the same one but you were seen twice). They would have checked the x-ray and then referred it to the doctor. The would have checked it etc. Then a nurse or doctor have popped it back in, then a nurse would have put the splint on.
Not forgetting you would have been seen by a nurse in triage.
And you still have the cheek to moan about three hours?? At least one doctor, at least one radiographer and at two nurse!! fixed up and sent home and you moan about three hours.

 

[BigGully]

It is accident and emergency. At the end of the day if someone has had an accident and hurt themselves they have every right to go to the A+E provided they do not mind waiting, obviously better to go to an urgent care centre but not everyone is near one or are even aware they exist.
My son had a bad temperature one night and I took him to A+E, now you might say that oh you should have waited, it was only a temperature etc but it turned out he had pneumonia and needed oxygen treatment for five days solid. Now if we took your advice it could have been a lot worse.
People pay for this service so have every right to use it but should not expect to be seen quickly unless you are unconscious, cannot breathe, having a heart attack/stroke or are in serious pain.
You seem to be able to find an excuse of why everyone should not go to A+E

You use the term 'right' and what you mean is entitlement, but it seems many forget that with entitlement comes consequence and responsibility, your little tax contribution to the NHS isnt your 'right' to abuse it and to not acknowledge that the consequence might be that you are preventing those needing it more access to it and how about my little contribution, why should you irresponsibly use that, our contributions aren't exclusively ours ??

You must remember that I have a wife and two boys that are now young adults, as young sportsman they have had their fair share of bumps and knocks and sometimes I have had no hesitation for them to go to A&E for there various stitches and investigations, however I have ALWAYS been mindful if a Doctor's appointment or trip to the A&E was really necessary.

I feel it is a responsible position from our family, we appreciate the NHS, their staff and the care it provides and it frustrates me when you and others call for their time and expertise without thought if actually it is necessary or appropriate.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

In Australia they have what's called a "therapeutic wait" which means they have a Perspex tunnel running through the waiting room and minor injuries so all of the really ill ambulance cases are wheeled through in full view of all the time wasters in the department who are:

Pissed
Have toothache
Have a cold
Injured themselves six months ago
Can't be arsed to make a GP appointment
Have Dislocated their fingers in horrific wanking incidents

I kid you not my friends a huge percentage of the waiting around in A&E is caused by total wastes of space.

Btw the poster who recommended claiming to be a nurse would speed up your visit is a total cock. If I knew you it might help or if you were a police officer injured at work or something.

The average A and E nurse is too busy to give a shit about anyone not actually near death and a shift in minors or on triage just saps your belief in human nature.

Getting gobbed on, punched and verbally abused also tends to make the veterans very wary of spending any more time in patient areas than totally necessary.

 

[EDS]

You use the term 'right' and what you mean is entitlement, but it seems many forget that with entitlement comes consequence and responsibility, your little tax contribution to the NHS isnt your 'right' to abuse it and to not acknowledge that the consequence might be that you are preventing those needing it more access to it and how about my little contribution, why should you irresponsibly use that, our contributions aren't exclusively ours ??

You must remember that I have a wife and two boys that are now young adults, as young sportsman they have had their fair share of bumps and knocks and sometimes I have had no hesitation for them to go to A&E for there various stitches and investigations, however I have ALWAYS been mindful if a Doctor's appointment or trip to the A&E was really necessary.

I feel it is a responsible position from our family, we appreciate the NHS, their staff and the care it provides and it frustrates me when you and others call for their time and expertise
without thought if actually it is necessary or appropriate.

Right?entitlement, you are just splitting hairs now.
If you have an accident and attend A+E, that is not abusing it, that is checking if you have broken it. As for my little contribution(theres a pun there somewhere ) I have paid in so that I have the right to go to A+E when I feel it is necessary, which is normally after a call to NHS direct(who coincidentally the nurses call NHS redirect as they tell everyone to go to A+E). Attending A+E because of an accident is hardly abusing it, attending A+E because you cannot handle your drink is abusing it.
As for irresponsibly using your contribution, thats a silly argument to be honest. On a side note there are more things that your tax is spent on that you should be enraged about, health tourism being one. Along with the many, many others.

 

[EDS]

In Australia they have what's called a "therapeutic wait" which means they have a Perspex tunnel running through the waiting room and minor injuries so all of the really ill ambulance cases are wheeled through in full view of all the time wasters in the department

Nothing like a bit of privacy and dignity is there.

 

[Marc1901]

You had two x-rays, so took up two radiographers time(maybe the same one but you were seen twice). They would have checked the x-ray and then referred it to the doctor. The would have checked it etc. Then a nurse or doctor have popped it back in, then a nurse would have put the splint on.
Not forgetting you would have been seen by a nurse in triage.
And you still have the cheek to moan about three hours?? At least one doctor, at least one radiographer and at two nurse!! fixed up and sent home and you moan about three hours.

It's their job to deal with injuries, what are you going on about?

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Over recent years i have spoken to many regarding their visits to A&E, most stated that they wanted to see their GP. but could not do so for some days,the knowledge that there would be a long delay in being seen ensured that A&E would not be the first choice.
The term Free Health Care, makes me boil,I should like the amount i have paid during my working life to be back in my bank account I could then afford to go private.

 

[Weststander]

They were fantastic for our daughter last Friday night. Instant and great help.

But for the adults in there, it looked like a filthy war zone.

 

[Woodchip]

If you thought it was a sprain then I am guessing you didnt go to A&E ??

The subsequent pain was the final indicator that prompted you to then visit, thats exactly what I am advocating, or are you saying that you went to A&E with what you thought was a sprain, but wanted confirmation 'just in case' ??

If so then you are the very reason why generally a trip to A&E is not a very nice experience, the 'just in case' patient continues waste time and money, something the NHS could do without.

I went because my elbow (in about an hour) had more than doubled in size and although I could bend it straightening it was a little troublesome.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I'm back! Been at work.

I can understand people taking the piss and obviously I was expecting it

I know it may of only been a dislocated finger, which to be fair does sound a bit OTT to go the hospital for. As soon as I done it I went to my GP who saw it at a glance and he told me to go up there because it was so mangled he thought I'd done a lot more to it, he said that to me today when I went down to see him.

I understand these doctors and nurses work hard and can't see you straight away but when I was sitting there and about 20 people come in after me and get seen before me only for me to be told " Oh, seems like you've been taken off the list " was a bit of a pisstake.

All in all, after having 2 x-rays, it being put back in and having a splint put on it would of took about half an hour. So, why 3 hours?!

That's the point I was trying to make, afterall as most people keep saying, it was only a finger..

Edit : Not also forgetting they sent me to the wrong part of the building and was sat in there for an hour without being told anything.

Because the A&E department doesn't revolve around one person? The staff are trying to juggle and prioritise all of the cases they've got to the best of their ability. If it takes three hours, it takes three hours. I've been to some appointments with Bobkin Jnr which have taken about three hours with one thing and another, being sent here, there and everywhere, but at the end of the day, it gets done. You finger got seen and fixed.

Anyway, hope it gets better soon, petal... And well done for dragging yourself into work

 

[EDS]

It's their job to deal with injuries, what are you going on about?

The fact that your the only one who cannot understand why your whining about being in there three hours, I would suggest seeing a different type of doctor.

 

[happypig]

Yes he could, bloody hell, he hurt his ankle and there was some swelling and it was painful etc, but if firstly he had just managed it at home, he would have found that it gradually improved and although uncomfortable it had become obvious it was not broken or his ligaments not ruptured, just a sprained ankle and he wouldnt have had any impact to NHS resources, they could offer little in terms of treatment that might progress his healing any quicker anyway.

If the severity of the pain worsened, then of course get to A&E to get it checked out, this is to me is the correct way to use A&E, but unfortunately it seems that you are yet another that thinks its a valid pattern of behaviour to use A&E as some sort of emotional crutch.

A twisted ankle is no more than just that, it neednt follow that we should get it checked out 'just in case' it might be broken, ligaments ruptured or is the onset of bone cancer, its a waste of time and effort for those within the NHS whose time could be spent better elsewhere.

To me it is just a responsible way for adults to behave towards such an important resource.

If one has no frame of reference to know whether an ankle is sprained or broken, then in my opinion it is right to seek medical advice. Given that a break is likely to need plastering, then going to the A&E would seem to be reasonable.
However, if I injure myself again, I'll hold off from ringing an ambulance and come on here for some sanctimonious advice.

 

[hitony]

I have to say that any time any of my family or indeed myself have had to use the A&E department, in all fairness, anywhere we have lived, we have never ever had a situation where we could complain about waiting.

If the situation has been one of high importance it has been dealt with very efficiently, if it has been of a lesser nature it has been dealt with in a fair amount of time.

We are not very patient people anymore though are we? we expect everything NOW!! and we all expect perfection from others who are doing their job.

 

[Ernest]

Had an appointment today and got royally f***ed about so much I will make an official complaint, no wonder things like Stafford happen when a Doctor doesn't even read your medical notes and check the tests you have had done. I am totally and utterly f***ed off by the clowns in white coats, just wish i had the cash to go private

 

[BigGully]

If one has no frame of reference to know whether an ankle is sprained or broken, then in my opinion it is right to seek medical advice. Given that a break is likely to need plastering, then going to the A&E would seem to be reasonable.
However, if I injure myself again, I'll hold off from ringing an ambulance and come on here for some sanctimonious advice.

But your symptoms were of a sprain, I have said that you needn't have sought medical advice from A&E.

Manage it at home, if the pain gets worse without any weight bearing movement, go to A&E, that would be a responsible action.

But you as too many others first instinctive action is to go to A&E ... 'just in case'.

It would release far more resources to those that undoubtedly need it, if your mentality was if its not critical then think to manage it yourself, if it isnt chronic or terminal it WILL get better.

I have good friends with similar family numbers that are exposed to similar risks as mine and experience the same scrapes and bumps as us.

They on average use their GP's and A&E maybe 10 times more than us, yet they do not have any health advantage at all and thankfully none of us have had serious health issues

Its a total waste and is replicated throughout the country and throughout this bloody thread.

Sanctimonious advice, no just be bloody reasonable and stop clogging up the system.

Hope it feels better by the way !!

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Nothing like a bit of privacy and dignity is there.

...which is the reason it was not brought in to our department.

That and the real possibility that idlers would come in to watch the show while they ate their sandwiches.

I mention this because I was an A and E nurse under the last Tory government (12 hour waits, patients dying in corridors that sort of thing) when we developed a real seige mentality. Actually the solution was to get rid of the shithouse government rather than blame the poor twats who were coming to us for help.

What we need now is really good Nurse Practitioners to treat about 90% of the cases that are not serious without them having to worry about being sued by every fucker they treat. Leave the Doctors to manage the severely ill and trauma. Hey presto. Problem solved. Mr. Finger ( the op) did not need to see a Doctor for that injury. The reality is that the Juniour Doctors ask the nurses what to do most of the time anyway. ( or at least the good ones do) it's purely for legal reasons that Doctors have to see so many of the patients. No one is ever waiting in A&E to see a nurse.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Had an appointment today and got royally f***ed about so much I will make an official complaint, no wonder things like Stafford happen when a Doctor doesn't even read your medical notes and check the tests you have had done. I am totally and utterly f***ed off by the clowns in white coats, just wish i had the cash to go private

While you're at it perhaps you could see whether you can attend a private Brighton forum rather than the nasty public one.

You can have your own private threads and not have to bother with all that tedious listening to the opinions of other posters.

Mind you I reckon there's about 10 of you using the Ernest identity so you would need a large room.

 

[EDS]

...which is the reason it was not brought in to our department.

That and the real possibility that idlers would come in to watch the show while they ate their sandwiches.

I mention this because I was an A and E nurse under the last Tory government (12 hour waits, patients dying in corridors that sort of thing) when we developed a real seige mentality. Actually the solution was to get rid of the shithouse government rather than blame the poor twats who were coming to us for help.

What we need now is really good Nurse Practitioners to treat about 90% of the cases that are not serious without them having to worry about being sued by every fucker they treat. Leave the Doctors to manage the severely ill and trauma. Hey presto. Problem solved. Mr. Finger ( the op) did not need to see a Doctor for that injury. The reality is that the Juniour Doctors ask the nurses what to do most of the time anyway. ( or at least the good ones do) it's purely for legal reasons that Doctors have to see so many of the patients. No one is ever waiting in A&E to see a nurse.

I would assume that junior doctors have to learn as well, thats probably why they ask. Everyone has to learn somewhere. Doctors are trained to spot things that a nurse is not though and there knowledge while not as widespread is more specialist. At A+E departments now there are nurse practitioners and also if it is nothing serious then they are sent to the GP who they have in the A+E department to be seen by them. At the end of the day if the triage nurse decides you need to see a doctor then I would assume thats because you do. Maybe im spoilt in having Kings college hospital, or if im staying at my other house then the Princess Royal hospital in Bromley.
To be honest I have never known anyone sue any kind of healthcare person ever, but obviously it must happen. If anyone in that profession has to develop a siege mentality then maybe its not the job for them.

 

[EDS]

...which is the reason it was not brought in to our department.

That and the real possibility that idlers would come in to watch the show while they ate their sandwiches.

I mention this because I was an A and E nurse under the last Tory government (12 hour waits, patients dying in corridors that sort of thing) when we developed a real seige mentality. Actually the solution was to get rid of the shithouse government rather than blame the poor twats who were coming to us for help.

What we need now is really good Nurse Practitioners to treat about 90% of the cases that are not serious without them having to worry about being sued by every fucker they treat. Leave the Doctors to manage the severely ill and trauma. Hey presto. Problem solved. Mr. Finger ( the op) did not need to see a Doctor for that injury. The reality is that the Juniour Doctors ask the nurses what to do most of the time anyway. ( or at least the good ones do) it's purely for legal reasons that Doctors have to see so many of the patients. No one is ever waiting in A&E to see a nurse.

I would assume that junior doctors have to learn as well, thats probably why they ask. Everyone has to learn somewhere. Doctors are trained to spot things that a nurse is not though and there knowledge while not as widespread is more specialist. At A+E departments now there are nurse practitioners and also if it is nothing serious then they are sent to the GP who they have in the A+E department to be seen by them. At the end of the day if the triage nurse decides you need to see a doctor then I would assume thats because you do. Maybe im spoilt in having Kings college hospital, or if im staying at my other house then the Princess Royal hospital in Bromley.
To be honest I have never known anyone sue any kind of healthcare person ever, but obviously it must happen. If anyone in that profession has to develop a siege mentality then maybe its not the job for them.