indie999
Well-Known Member
I hate threads that turn into NHS bashing. Yes mistakes are made but it is often because the pressure that A&E staff are under. We estimated that 2/3rds of the patients we had through the A&E doors shouldn't have been there. Yet time & time again we hear the same thing : 'I didn't want to wait for a GP appointment', 'I wanted to be seen quicker', 'I'm going shopping & I thought I'd nip in on my way into town'
A&E is THE most abused resource. Because people see it as free they use it for the most ridiculous things....yes I've seen a woman come in with a verruca, someone who had had a stuff finger for 13 years...the list goes on & on.
The up shot of the time wasters is that the staff are over pressured & then that is when mistakes get made with genuine problems.[/QUOTE]
I agree A&Es are abused. People use to come in for tetanus injections etc/sprained ankle for an Xray etc etc..but years ago in London we use to send them packing & tell them to go to their GP. Now they are not allowed to refuse treatment? So its the NHS fault too. This is why they brought in the triage nurse to screen and prioritise patients but they still dont refuse.....it was amazing also when hospitals brought in Video screens with adverts as all the staff said it was going to make it comfy to come and sit in the waiting area. When it got up to 7 hour wait time usually it cleared itself! But I do think things get missed now revolving door medicine. All about target times etc and loss of money.
A&E is THE most abused resource. Because people see it as free they use it for the most ridiculous things....yes I've seen a woman come in with a verruca, someone who had had a stuff finger for 13 years...the list goes on & on.
The up shot of the time wasters is that the staff are over pressured & then that is when mistakes get made with genuine problems.[/QUOTE]
I agree A&Es are abused. People use to come in for tetanus injections etc/sprained ankle for an Xray etc etc..but years ago in London we use to send them packing & tell them to go to their GP. Now they are not allowed to refuse treatment? So its the NHS fault too. This is why they brought in the triage nurse to screen and prioritise patients but they still dont refuse.....it was amazing also when hospitals brought in Video screens with adverts as all the staff said it was going to make it comfy to come and sit in the waiting area. When it got up to 7 hour wait time usually it cleared itself! But I do think things get missed now revolving door medicine. All about target times etc and loss of money.