How can this be?

I’m glad your DGD is on a ward now and I hope she can get some rest. My late sister had Crohn’s and it was always hit and miss at to whether her appointments would go ahead, instructions from the consultant not followed up, inappropriate tests and so on. That was only after the literally years before they diagnosed her correctly, she’d been back and forth so many times to the doctor and really, it blighted the last 15 years of her life.

I really feel for you and your DGD Luckygirl.
It is very stressful to feel that your loved ones are unable to access the timely care that they need.
I spent all my working life in the NHS and I know it does not have to be like this. We are a rich country and the way money is allocated is a matter of choice, and not necessity as the government would have us believe. It is sad to see private, for profit companies, taking over what was once an NHS that was the envy of the world.

She is on a ward now. She has been through so much in the last 24 hours.

I am aware that we are better off than third world countries .... but so we should be. We are a relatively rich country - it is about government priorities.

I find it especially distressing as both my late OH and I dedicated a large chunk of our lives to the NHS and felt that it was something to take a pride in. This is no longer the case. Staff are burnt out, exhausted, underpaid, and know full well that are providing a very poor service because of the pressures - this is soul-destroying for them. It is not just the patients who are suffering.

I am very sad with the treatment my DGD has been receiving - not just on the last 24 hours, but in general. Her condition needs active monitoring and prompt treatment - she does not get this, not at all. Her mother spends much of her time trying to contact people to get treatments moving and prevent a flare-up. They have had so many chaotic situations - e.g. turning up for an investigation which requires a blood test first and there is no-one to take that blood - unbelievable I know. The staff doing the investigation had a wasted slot, and she had taken time off uni to go to the appointment. It is all pretty grim.

If we’re judging against foreign hospitals we need to compare like with like. My dd has worked as a medic in Indian public hospitals. If you think the NHS is bad (which I do, in present circumstances) try being in a hospital with no electricity, where you have to go and buy blood if you need a transfusion or drugs because the hospital doesn’t supply them, where your doctor is seeing 100+ patients a day.

I’ve also volunteered in West African hospitals, where there is no electricity overnight, so they depend on generators, if they can get the diesel to operate them, there are often no functioning life support/kidney dialysis/monitoring machines, no incubators, mothers or babies die because they cannot afford life-saving caesarians, there are no nappies or bed linens, blood or drugs available.

People who state that the UK has a third world service really haven’t been to such a hospital and seen the reality.

Our NHS needs intensive care itself, but it’s not on a par with those places.

Before anyone mentions India. All my Indian friends and colleagues, some who work in the NHS or have partners that do all say it is worse than India

You are right Farzanah
These holding wards are horrible as well

icanhandthemback

Our hospital has a ward on A&E where you wait until you get a bed. It gives very good care whilst you wait to go to the appropriate ward. Maybe you should phone the Consultant's secretary and see if you can get things moving.

Yes our local hospital similar. This is a fairly new initiative to get people off trolleys as soon as possible. The other local hospital has closed the main corridor to increase A&E space for beds/trolleys.
The hospitals are on their knees, and this is not accidental but the results of Austerity, and NeoLiberalism. If you are not familiar with the term look it up.

I’m so sorry that your DGD has not had the security of prompt and quality care as they would have done a few years ago Luckygirl. I do hope that her consultant will review her care, and she will receive the necessary and appropriate treatment without further delay.

Our hospital has a ward on A&E where you wait until you get a bed. It gives very good care whilst you wait to go to the appropriate ward. Maybe you should phone the Consultant's secretary and see if you can get things moving.

I’m sorry too lucky girl I hope she stabilises soon xx

I'm so sorry to hear this, it should never be happening.

What in God's name is happening to this country. That poor poor girl. I'm so very sorry and sad to hear of her plight. I hope by now she is receiving the help she deserves.

V3ra

^One local hospital used to have an A&E ward which took admissions like your DGD without going through the waiting room.^

When I worked there 20+ years ago, ours had the MAU, medical assessment unit.
This was the stepping stone between A&E and the wards. I don't know if it's still the same today.

Luckygirl I hope your poorly granddaughter gets a bed soon, what a distressing experience for her and all of you x

Oh yes, the Medical Assessment Unit!

I spent about 10 hours in ours last year, something that could have been sorted in a couple of hours.

One woman had been there for three days, sleeping on the bench seats, waiting for beds. Two others for two days.

At least they got fed meals and I got some sandwiches.

Unbelievable the state this country has got into.

Glad your GD is at least being treated now

I hope she will be in a bed soon and on a ward where it won't be quite as manic and she will be looked after.
It's appalling that anyone should have to go through that.

I hope your daughter is feeling more comfortable now, Luckygirl, and that you can relax a bit.

She's still in A&E! - but has IV fluids now, although the nurse failed to turn on the flow and my DD spotted it and went to find someone to do it! Steroid and antibiotic infusions awaited still. They are then going to add in a further infusion of a "biological", which is something to suppress the immune system I think. But at least she is no longer dehydrated which is a relief.

DD says the staff are frantic and unable to do their jobs properly - the patients just keep coming. It's so sad.

One local hospital used to have an A&E ward which took admissions like your DGD without going through the waiting room.

When I worked there 20+ years ago, ours had the MAU, medical assessment unit.
This was the stepping stone between A&E and the wards. I don't know if it's still the same today.

Luckygirl I hope your poorly granddaughter gets a bed soon, what a distressing experience for her and all of you x

So sorry Luckygirl. I hope your granddaughter gets the treatment and care that she needs soon. 💐

That's awful, Luckygirl
I do hope she is fast-tracked, triaged asap and a bed found for her.

One local hospital used to have an A&E ward which took admissions like your DGD without going through the waiting room.

Mind you, when I was admitted urgently years ago, needing immediate investigation and treatment, the doctor on duty in that ward refused to come out of her office to see me for nearly 3 hours.

The A&E has since moved to a new hospital and waiting times there are horrendous.

The sad thing is that we are all beginning to regard this as normal and stop seeing it for what it is.

I spoke to a friend of mine yesterday who hurt her back before Christmas. Once she was in hospital her treatment was exemplary but prior to that she hadn’t been able to get aGP to see her. She was offered an appointment at the surgery with a physio but she couldn’t move from her bed. I honestly don’t know what’s happening to the NHS. By the time she managed to get someone to take her seriously she was in a very bad way.

You probably won't want to subject your daughter to this, but I wonder what would happen if you rang your local TV station to see if there is a reporter free? The staff might be pleased to have their plight exposed, and your MP would have some questions to answer, so close to an election.

It's a disgrace that things have come to this.

And they have been told that it is likely to be at least 2 hours for the drugs.

I feel sorry for the staff too ... this cannot be what they want.

A doc has now ordered IV fluids and steroids and they are waiting for these. They have been told that the wait for a bed will be "tomorrow at least" .........