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On New Years Eve, I spent 8 hours in majors at my local A&E. I am back home and absolutely fine. I wanted to take the chance to share my experience in hospital because things have changed significantly since my last visit.
I have never seen so many patients in A&E. All 28 beds in majors were full and there were at least 10-15 patients lined up in the corridors on trolleys. This doesn’t even include the main waiting room, minors or other assessment wards.
A couple of porters were comparing their step count at the end of their shifts. They had done over 30,000 steps each. That is around 11 miles each making sure patients got to scans and wards safely.
One nurse was stopped by a few patients in the corridor whilst leaving at the end of her shift. Each time she turned back and helped patients. This probably added at least an extra hour on her shift but she didn’t leave until it was sorted.
I lost track of the number of trolleys with really poorly patients that flew by me with paramedics. Every ambulance had to be cleaned before it could be sent straight back out to help someone else.
Extra nurses worked on the corridor making sure everyone was as comfortable as they could be. They gave me regular pain relief and even made me a brew when I was feeling weary. Nothing was too much to ask for.
I was opposite the staff kitchen for a while. No one had chance for anything more than a quick sip of water. It was so busy that breaks we would all see as normal were being sacrificed for patient care.
I spoke to a doctor who consulted with my neurologist. I had bloods, neurological observations and a CT venogram (head scan with dye). Everyone I spoke to went the extra mile to make me feel comfortable. My care was spot on and thorough despite the chaos.
Our NHS is precious and working so hard to keep us all safe but it is at breaking point. It’s our job to make sure that we call 111 and only attend A&E when it’s an emergency.
We can all play our part by following the guidance. Please stay at home when you can. It’s really rough out there and we need our NHS. #thankyouNHS #NHSheroes
