Ambulance left waiting at A&E (From The Argus)
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Ambulance crew left waiting for hours at A&E in Brighton
12:20pm Tuesday 26th February 2013 in News By Siobhan Ryan, Health Reporter
Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton
Ambulance crews were left waiting for up to two hours at a hospital A&E unit because beds could not be found.
The delays at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton came as a surge in patients combined with a shortage of beds led to the hospital becoming full and managers declaring a major incident.
Ambulance unions fear there will be a repeat of last week’s crisis if the pressure on services continues.
Crews had to stay with patients in the hospital’s A&E department until a trolley or bed became free and they could be handed over to the care of hospital staff.
Jean Calder, who recently visited the Royal Sussex with her mother, said: “I saw 14 ambulance staff waiting in the lobby of A&E because their patients could not yet be admitted.
“I heard paramedics say that delays of this kind had become commonplace, complaining that while held up there, they were unable to attend emergencies.”
Increasing pressure
South East Coast Ambulance Service Unison rep Peter Steventon said: “Delays in handing patients over obviously has a knock-on effect as it means it takes longer for crews to get back out on the road again.
“It is also not the best thing in terms of patient care.
“It is an issue that is a concern to our members and something that we will be keeping an eye on.”
GMB union organiser Gary Palmer said: “The problem has been particularly bad on occasions at Royal Sussex, but it is indicative of the increasing pressure being placed upon both the ambulance service and hospitals.
“Our members are concerned that stacking ambulances means that parts of Sussex could be left short of cover while they sit there.
“Ultimately there should be no doubt that the delays have an adverse impact on patients experience of the service and may increase risk to patient safety.”
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Sussex and Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, remained busy yesterday.
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Comments(5)
Plantpot
says...
3:30pm Tue 26 Feb 13
sound_man
says...
3:45pm Tue 26 Feb 13
Plantpot wrote:Imaginary cuts? I'd say the cuts are very real.
This has nothing to do with imaginary cuts.
This isn't just happening at the royal Sussex though, this happening at other hospitals in Sussex and nationwide!
Plantpot
says...
3:51pm Tue 26 Feb 13
sound_man wrote:The budget for the NHS is effectively the same as last year. In this paper, the hospital have blamed people clogging up A&E who shouldn't be there. In addition, at times of stress, it has also said that admissions drop because discharges of patients drop by 40%. What has this to do with imaginary cuts?
Plantpot wrote:Imaginary cuts? I'd say the cuts are very real.
This has nothing to do with imaginary cuts.
This isn't just happening at the royal Sussex though, this happening at other hospitals in Sussex and nationwide!
Why not focus on the enormous savings that could be made through efficiencies?
Boing Boing.
says...
5:14pm Tue 26 Feb 13
This year I'm on waiting list at Princess Royal 7 weeks, only to have no bed/s the night before.
Not just RSCH that i have any no real confidence in.
What with trying to get an appointment at the GP, here's one person who could hardly be more stressed out by events.
Tried that "walk in" surgery near Brighton Station once.
Waited 2 hours to be seen, and the " doctor" didnt even examine me! Still got the problem 21 months on!
Won't go there again!
whereisthe...? says...
1:36pm Tue 26 Feb 13
I don't suppose the Argus is trying pathetically to STOP this story from TRENDING in its "Top 10 stories" section by making the THREE different versions, perhaps, thus thinning out the story "count"..?
No. Why would a blatantly snobby, Right-wing paper, with endless business and Tory links, in a Tory town want to do that..?
Disgusting.