A TOP doctor at the Royal Sussex County Hospital has warned that A&E departments are in meltdown.

A&E consultant Rob Galloway, who acts as an adviser to the NHS Support Federation, says staff are at breaking point.

He claims patients are being left in corridors because there are no ward beds for them to go to, and staff are leaving shifts demoralised and exhausted.

In a Facebook post, he goes on: “And most importantly our patients are not getting the care they deserve.”

Mr Galloway says that the crisis is much worse than what is reported in the media.

He said: “We all talk about the four-hour target and that we get around 90 per cent, but that includes all the patients who don’t need admission.

“But for the ones who need admission, the percentage who get admitted within four hours is so, so, so much lower than that.

“And for those patients, it is crucial for their wellbeing that they get admitted within four hours.”

Mr Galloway claims patients can be in A&E for 18 hours and still not breach the 12-hour rule.

He posted: “In England (but not the rest of the UK) the clock starts ticking when a specialist senior has seen them.”

He called the situation “a crisis – one which will lead to a breaking point soon unless something changes.

“The fault lies with the government.

“Years of failed austerity depriving NHS and councils of vital monies and investment is taking its toll.

“A&Es are struggling because of the frail elderly who need a ward bed but cant get one.

“They can’t get one because there are not enough beds within our hospitals and because those that need to get out of hospital can’t because of a lack of social care.

“In addition some money which has been spent on the NHS had been wasted on pointless reorganisations designed to start the process of NHS privatisation.

“Sadly our government don’t seem that bothered.

“They and their friends can afford private health care and therefore don’t rely on it.”