This short account was sent into us by someone working in an A&E Department. It gives a no-nonsense account of one of the underlying issues currently affecting the NHS:
“You can throw as much money as you like at our A&E services or educating Joe Public to go to the pharmacy first but that’s not just where the problem lies.
Ambulances are queueing because A&E departments are full.
A&E departments are full because they can’t admit patients because Acute wards are full.
Acute wards are full because there aren’t enough Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, dietitians, Pharmacists, Nurses or Doctors to discharge quick enough.
Then when they are discharged there isn’t enough community beds, care placements, home care vacancies or RELATIVES willing to care for their own (I emphasise RELATIVES willing to care) once patients are medically fit to leave Acute Hospitals.
Once a discharge can be made an overstretched and already heavily abused (People who can get to appointments with relatives or in some cases use it just because it’s free and direct unlike bus/taxi) Non Emergency Patient Transport Services do not have the capacity to deal with the increase in discharges or subsequent out patient appointment transport.
The problem runs throughout the system. Not just at the front door.”
For more blogs and stories from individuals serving on the front line of the emergency services, then subscribe to our fortnightly £1 / $1 per month ‘newsletter’ aptly named ‘S__ts & Giggles’ – CLICK HERE
Before you go...
We need your help. As former emergency services & armed forces personnel, we pride ourselves on bringing you important, fast-moving and breaking news stories & videos which are free from the negative bias which is often directed at the emergency services & NHS by some sections of the mainstream media.
One of the reasons we started 'Emergency Services News' back in 2018 was because we became tired of reading badly informed stories about the emergency services & NHS which seemed only ever to highlight negative aspects of the job.
We want to be the unheard voice of the remarkable men and women who serve in the emergency services, NHS and armed forces. And with around 500k page views each month, we are getting there!
As income from ads, the mainstay source of income for most publishers, continues to decline; we need the help of you, our readers.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
