No end in sight to A&E crisis (From The Argus)
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No end in sight to A&E crisis
6:10pm Sunday 3rd March 2013 in News By Ben James
Hospital bosses have warned that there is no end in sight to the crisis which has led to long delays and cancelled operations.
The Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and Princess Royal in Haywards Heath are still on high alert some ten days after the first “major internal incident” at the trust for five years.
Non urgent operations and staff leave have been cancelled with health bosses holding four emergency meetings a day.
Ambulances are also struggling to get back on the roads as paramedics are forced to wait with patients until beds are made available in accident and emergency.
One nurse, who called The Argus anonymously yesterday, said the situation was the worst she had seen in her 12 years.
On February 20, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, which runs both sites, declared a “major incident” after they became over- run with patients.
That was downgraded to the second highest level of “purple alert” on February 22.
They have remained at this level ever since, with hospital bosses saying they are unlikely to return to normal for days.
The trust confirmed that ambulances, where possible, were also being diverted away from Brighton to other hospitals.
Patients have also reported waits of more than 12 hours in A&E.
Ambulances are also getting stuck in waiting bays at A&E, with not enough beds in the ward to transfer patients to.
A trust spokesperson confirmed that paramedics were being forced to sit in the emergency unit with patients until beds became available.
She added the situation was unlikely to return to normal by Monday but refused to “speculate” on how long the alert would last.
She said: “We don’t just leave the patients on trolleys on their own – we make the ambulance staff stay with them until we can provide beds.
“However, it does mean it takes longer for them [para medics] to get out on the road.”
She added: “We continue to be busy but I wouldn’t say it is chaos.
“The purple alert is about making sure we continue safely and monitor how we are doing.
“Everyone is working extremely hard to do the very best we can for all our patients.”
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Comments(24)
Boing Boing.
says...
7:59pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Had operation cancelled due to no beds, if it's cancelled again this week, might as well put a gun to me head!( if I had one.)
An pet animal wouldn't suffer as long.
HJarrs
says...
8:52pm Sun 3 Mar 13
The Liberals better get off the fence and join with all the opposition parties to defeat the bill with NHS privatisation at its heart. I wonder if Kirby and Weatherley are representing their constituents views on this issue?
mimseycal
says...
10:11pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Agreement Policy
100% Business and community control of schools: For
100% Cap or Reduce Civil Service Pay and Conditions
100% Deployment of UK armed forces in Afghanistan
100% Equal Number of Electors Per Constituency
92% European Union - For
92% Increase VAT
0% No detention without charge or trial
0% No Polls Clash With MP Election System Referendum
100% Privatise Royal Mail
100% Promote Occupational Pensions
0% Proportional Representation Voting System - For
100% Referendum on Alternative Vote for MP Elections
50% Right to strike
100% Schools - Greater Autonomy
0% Smoking ban - In favour
100% Terrorism laws - For
100% Trident replacement - In favour
100% Tuition fees - Set Upper Limit at £9,000 per Year
100% University Tuition Fees - For
Don't know about Weatherley but here is his voting record ...
Agreement Policy
100% Business and community control of schools: For
100% Cap or Reduce Civil Service Pay and Conditions
100% Deployment of UK armed forces in Afghanistan
100% Equal Number of Electors Per Constituency
90% European Union - For
100% Increase VAT
0% No detention without charge or trial
0% No Polls Clash With MP Election System Referendum
100% Privatise Royal Mail
100% Promote Occupational Pensions
0% Proportional Representation Voting System - For
100% Referendum on Alternative Vote for MP Elections
50% Right to strike
100% Schools - Greater Autonomy
0% Smoking ban - In favour
100% Terrorism laws - For
100% Trident replacement - In favour
100% Tuition fees - Set Upper Limit at £9,000 per Year
100% University Tuition Fees - For
hovian
says...
10:27pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Boing Boing.
says...
10:43pm Sun 3 Mar 13
In 2012 iI waited the full 18 weeks to get in Eastbourne General, only to have op cancelled for no bed/s.
In 2013 same thing happened again at Haywards Heath. 7 week wait, delayed another 16 days, SHOULD I get in this Thursday.
Been up RSCH A&E 5 times since Dec. 2012. Just happy to fob me off with painkillers, that I've been taking a dozen a day since.
Lost any confidence in hospitals ages ago.
The situation can only get worse. IMO.- as is my healt, which has rapidly deteriorated since I see a specialist on Jan 3rd.
HJarrs
says...
7:39am Mon 4 Mar 13
Plantpot
says...
8:03am Mon 4 Mar 13
mimseycal wrote:Gets my vote. More people in England vote Tory than for any other party.....
Kirby so far has managed to misrepresent me in almost every vote so am not counting on him much. He is pretty loyal to the party whip ... oops I mean policies and agenda of course
Agreement Policy
100% Business and community control of schools: For
100% Cap or Reduce Civil Service Pay and Conditions
100% Deployment of UK armed forces in Afghanistan
100% Equal Number of Electors Per Constituency
92% European Union - For
92% Increase VAT
0% No detention without charge or trial
0% No Polls Clash With MP Election System Referendum
100% Privatise Royal Mail
100% Promote Occupational Pensions
0% Proportional Representation Voting System - For
100% Referendum on Alternative Vote for MP Elections
50% Right to strike
100% Schools - Greater Autonomy
0% Smoking ban - In favour
100% Terrorism laws - For
100% Trident replacement - In favour
100% Tuition fees - Set Upper Limit at £9,000 per Year
100% University Tuition Fees - For
Don't know about Weatherley but here is his voting record ...
Agreement Policy
100% Business and community control of schools: For
100% Cap or Reduce Civil Service Pay and Conditions
100% Deployment of UK armed forces in Afghanistan
100% Equal Number of Electors Per Constituency
90% European Union - For
100% Increase VAT
0% No detention without charge or trial
0% No Polls Clash With MP Election System Referendum
100% Privatise Royal Mail
100% Promote Occupational Pensions
0% Proportional Representation Voting System - For
100% Referendum on Alternative Vote for MP Elections
50% Right to strike
100% Schools - Greater Autonomy
0% Smoking ban - In favour
100% Terrorism laws - For
100% Trident replacement - In favour
100% Tuition fees - Set Upper Limit at £9,000 per Year
100% University Tuition Fees - For
Plantpot
says...
8:13am Mon 4 Mar 13
hovian wrote:Why?
Seems like the NHS is a completely broken system.....and it can only get worse with all the new changes coming next month...
mimseycal
says...
8:20am Mon 4 Mar 13
13
"Gets my vote. More people in England vote Tory than for any other party....."
Selling the future of our children off to the highest bidders?
(100% Business and community control of schools: For & 100% Schools - Greater Autonomy - Kirby)
(100% Business and community control of schools: For & 100% Schools - Greater Autonomy - Weatherley)
Costly and questionable defence expenditure?
(100% Trident replacement - In favour - Kirby)
(100% Trident replacement - In favour - Weatherley)
Privatising Public services?
(100% Privatise Royal Mail - Kirby)
(100% Privatise Royal Mail -Weatherley)
Ah well ... it figures I suppose ;-)
mimseycal
says...
8:48am Mon 4 Mar 13
Plantpot wrote:Because the changes proposed are of the sticky plaster variety, they don't really go for what is inherently wrong with the set-up but address some of the symptoms ... Short term, ineffective but politically proficient.
hovian wrote:Why?
Seems like the NHS is a completely broken system.....and it can only get worse with all the new changes coming next month...
We need a pragmatic overhaul and not a political point scoring approach.
Boing Boing.
says...
9:56am Mon 4 Mar 13
HJarrs wrote:Thank-You.
Good luck to you boing boing. The NHS has never been perfect and what has happened to you is a disgrace.
What got me with the 18 week wait at Eastbourne, only not to have a bed, and another wait, was that I needed a different op at HH. I had to choose, as as HH was more urgent picked that op.
Then Eastbourne said I came off their waiting list!- and gave me another 18 weeks wait!
I'm waiting to see another specialist at RSCH, that is a 10 week wait.
Meen time, DWP cut your benefits as they assume if you ain't got Locked in Syndrome, your malingering!!
Been virtually bed ridden for past 2 weeks.
Sure need a break!
spa301
says...
10:47am Mon 4 Mar 13
Doesn't really bear thinking about.
Joshiman
says...
11:18am Mon 4 Mar 13
Plantpot
says...
11:20am Mon 4 Mar 13
mimseycal wrote:OK, I agree with that, I made the assumption that you were one of the "no change under any circumstances" brigade. My bad.
Plantpot wrote:Because the changes proposed are of the sticky plaster variety, they don't really go for what is inherently wrong with the set-up but address some of the symptoms ... Short term, ineffective but politically proficient.
hovian wrote:Why?
Seems like the NHS is a completely broken system.....and it can only get worse with all the new changes coming next month...
We need a pragmatic overhaul and not a political point scoring approach.
The problem is that the NHS is a sacred cow. No party would dare make the changes needed.
Unfortunately, the data people need to make informed decisions is tucked away and needs to be brought out into the open.
Plantpot
says...
11:22am Mon 4 Mar 13
Boing Boing. wrote:One of the reasons often quoted by those against "privatisation" is that the NHS offers a fully integrated system, and the private sector doesn't. Your story blows that myth out of the water.
HJarrs wrote:Thank-You.
Good luck to you boing boing. The NHS has never been perfect and what has happened to you is a disgrace.
What got me with the 18 week wait at Eastbourne, only not to have a bed, and another wait, was that I needed a different op at HH. I had to choose, as as HH was more urgent picked that op.
Then Eastbourne said I came off their waiting list!- and gave me another 18 weeks wait!
I'm waiting to see another specialist at RSCH, that is a 10 week wait.
Meen time, DWP cut your benefits as they assume if you ain't got Locked in Syndrome, your malingering!!
Been virtually bed ridden for past 2 weeks.
Sure need a break!
Plantpot
says...
11:27am Mon 4 Mar 13
spa301 wrote:It really depends on your interpretation of the words "accident" and "emergency". I wonder how many people are in A&E with conditions that could be sorted out elsewhere at another time?
So what would happen if there was a major 'external' incident now?
Doesn't really bear thinking about.
Previous stories about A&E at the hospital implied strongly there were plenty of time wasters about.
whereisthe...?
says...
11:56am Mon 4 Mar 13
How dare you! People like YOU caused it by voting for the Tories.
YOU cause it by sitting on your hands and doing nothing instead of contacting a local MP, the papers, or at least telling everyone you know about the risk to LIVES the cuts have had.
YOU cause it by obfuscating, playing naive, blaming Labour, and continuing to support this evil Coalition.
What are YOU going to do about it?
Nothing, right? Until one of your children, or your parents dies while waiting for an ambulance that never comes, or being lost in A&E for 12 hours(!)
Oh, forgot. If you are Tory, you'll be private to avoid mixing with us plebs. Best not to watch the animals suffering, right? It might put you off your dinner.
Boing Boing.
says...
12:26pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Still like to bring it up in my numerous letters to the Health Ombudsman.
As for voting Tory, it's not gonna happen in my lifetime, and I'm 56. Just saying like.
Plantpot
says...
4:05pm Mon 4 Mar 13
whereisthe...? wrote:Your nuttiness is a welcome addition to the bunch of regular posters on here.
Here we go again, some Tory posters asking stupid questions deliberately like "the article doesn't say what caused the problem"
How dare you! People like YOU caused it by voting for the Tories.
YOU cause it by sitting on your hands and doing nothing instead of contacting a local MP, the papers, or at least telling everyone you know about the risk to LIVES the cuts have had.
YOU cause it by obfuscating, playing naive, blaming Labour, and continuing to support this evil Coalition.
What are YOU going to do about it?
Nothing, right? Until one of your children, or your parents dies while waiting for an ambulance that never comes, or being lost in A&E for 12 hours(!)
Oh, forgot. If you are Tory, you'll be private to avoid mixing with us plebs. Best not to watch the animals suffering, right? It might put you off your dinner.
SableMable2
says...
4:23pm Mon 4 Mar 13
lillylou
says...
4:59pm Mon 4 Mar 13
lillylou
says...
5:00pm Mon 4 Mar 13
mimseycal
says...
5:52pm Mon 4 Mar 13
lillylou wrote:What a very sad life you must lead if all that occupies your mind is Romanians. Haven't you anything to contribute apart from this? Do you honestly think the NHS is in the mess it is in because someone told you that hundreds of thousands of Romanians are waiting to come over next year?
and with 300 thousands romanians due where du think there gona go yes good old over crowded btn yes dont you just love this thick country
ShorehamBeachcomber says...
7:34pm Sun 3 Mar 13