Martha’s Rule to apply in A&E

The Triage nurse told me there was nothing wrong with me but could go to another area of the hospital and wait to see a doctor. I just wanted to go home but my friend made me go. Thank god she did, I ended up on a cart being run through corridors as I had serious bleeding ulcers.

sazz1

Our GP has a sit and wait service evenings if all appointments are gone
You go at 5 or 5.30 and wait in turn maybe until 7 if its busy. But you see a qualified Dr. Receptionist books you onto it if it's urgent or children. With me a chest infection is urgent as I have COPD

I really wish other GP practices would do this, ours doesn’t, but I remember very many years ago my local GP practice having a similar set up. This will save people from going to A&E.

Our GP has a sit and wait service evenings if all appointments are gone
You go at 5 or 5.30 and wait in turn maybe until 7 if its busy. But you see a qualified Dr. Receptionist books you onto it if it's urgent or children. With me a chest infection is urgent as I have COPD

Well done Martha's family. Really hope this initiative will lead to a lasting legacy which will save many lives.

Complicated situations in A &E. Understaffed, overworked,overused and really under resourced.

My own experience of the MRI has been a positive one after a wrist fracture. Which was caused by negligence after a sli no nop on a local bus.
Went on holiday not realising it was broken. Spanish Public Health Service reset it and put it in a cast. EHIC.

Retuned home. Seen quickly at the MRI by experienced, caring medical, nursing and administrative staff. Scan, x-ray, cast removed with no problems. Follow up treatment arranged quickly.

However, l attended A&E on a quiet weekday afternoon when it was fairly quiet.

Patients generally well behaved. Only one man who was sprawled across several chairs. Woke up every few minutes, smiled, sang the line of a song then went back to sleep again.

However l have heard accounts from friends who who have attended A&E late at night for stroke and major health scates.

When the Dept is packed with rowdy, aggressive and abusive people with alcohol and drug problems.

Also how we charge overseas visitors from countries with no reciprocal agreements., who need treatment and have no travel insurance.

In many countries in the world. After an initial assesment which has to paid for straight away. All medical treatment has to be paid for in advance

Gov Stats say 4 out of 10 A&E attendees fall into the substance abuse category.And attend A&E every week
I don't know how these people should be helped and treated but A&E is probably not the best place for them.

We also have what a neighbour calls the Broken Finger Nail brigade. Who will attend and demand to be seen in A&E immediately for the slightest scratch, niggle or pain. Very arrogant entitled.

Maybe there is a place for companies like Spire Health to provide out of hours emergency health clinic attached to their hospitals. Which NHS staff could advise and direct people with really minor injuries to attend and pay for.

DrWatson

For Petra (& anyone else on the same lines) and that "opinion of the NHS is so low".

That's a disgusting slur on huge numbers of staff who are doing a great job, despite in many locations having to fight against understaffing and overwork.

For various reasons I've had to be in A&E for long periods in the last 10 years - not always my issues - and it's easy to
see that a substantial subset just don't need to be there.

Lots of folk who've clearly had a minor accident and don't need to be clogging up that unit at that time, and some mums with kids who can't readily get a GP appointment, so hit A&E instead. Etc. If you're unlucky enough to have had to go yourself, you'll know who I mean.

I agree with that also, it can’t be helped clogging up UC/ A&E when your GP can’t be bothered to write out a prescription, (it was only 15.30 when I rang the surgery. TBF I think it was doctors receptionist who told me to go to UC with a urine infection 🙄

OldFrill
Par for the course these days.

Par for the coarse these days.

You are both right though. Pockets of incompetence and dangerous practice should not detract from the millions of examples of competence and good practice.

DrWatson

For Petra (& anyone else on the same lines) and that "opinion of the NHS is so low".

That's a disgusting slur on huge numbers of staff who are doing a great job, despite in many locations having to fight against understaffing and overwork.

For various reasons I've had to be in A&E for long periods in the last 10 years - not always my issues - and it's easy to
see that a substantial subset just don't need to be there.

Lots of folk who've clearly had a minor accident and don't need to be clogging up that unit at that time, and some mums with kids who can't readily get a GP appointment, so hit A&E instead. Etc. If you're unlucky enough to have had to go yourself, you'll know who I mean.

260 mothers and babies died through negligence.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1kyw24elv7o

20 women had mastectomies at Notting hospital when the truth was they never had cancer.
The above is the tip of the iceberg. Less serous horror stories are happening to thousands of patients every day in the uk.
I make no apologies for what I know to be true.

Sadly my 87 year old friend was told by her GP to avoid going to hospital at all costs. Unfortunately reflects the lack of care she would receive there.

For Petra (& anyone else on the same lines) and that "opinion of the NHS is so low".

That's a disgusting slur on huge numbers of staff who are doing a great job, despite in many locations having to fight against understaffing and overwork.

For various reasons I've had to be in A&E for long periods in the last 10 years - not always my issues - and it's easy to
see that a substantial subset just don't need to be there.

Lots of folk who've clearly had a minor accident and don't need to be clogging up that unit at that time, and some mums with kids who can't readily get a GP appointment, so hit A&E instead. Etc. If you're unlucky enough to have had to go yourself, you'll know who I mean.

It’s a wonderful thing tgat the family have achieved.
I can well imagine how hard the medical fraternity fought against it.
Terrible thing to say, but, my opinion of the NHS is so low I won’t hold my breath 😥

Yes it is Labradora. And I think she will feel some comfort in deciding on that path 💕

Plevey08

Martha's mum was on BBC Breakfast link this morning. She just came across as such a beautiful, compassionate lady. I can only imagine her grief. And what a gift she has given in Martha's name and memory.

It is a terrific piece of selflessness , isn't it?
The story of Martha's death is heartbreaking.

MT62

We refused to take my dad home until there was a care package in place. It wasn’t safe to be sent home.

Sorry I misread your post FS.
Sometimes we need to stand our ground where our loved ones are concerned, after all it’s the family who know their loved one better than any Gp/hosp Doctor.
Good for that family.
I didn’t know that we can now ask for a second opinion.

At last.

A close friends daughter went to A&E on 3 consecutive evenings to be told each time the pain was scar tissue from a previous operation.

She stayed in A&E crying and called her Mother.

Eventually my friend, her Mother who is a nurse called the hospital, explained her daughter was not a hypochondriac and begged she was seen by the most senior clinician on duty.

She was seen some hours later and was soon blue lighted to a nearby hospital, she had a huge tumour in her stomach, staff was amazed that she was even walking.

Martha’s law will save lives.

Martha's mum was on BBC Breakfast link this morning. She just came across as such a beautiful, compassionate lady. I can only imagine her grief. And what a gift she has given in Martha's name and memory.

I have so much respect for Martha’s parents (& other parents doing something similar)

To take the time, when losing a much beloved child, which could have been avoided, to help others, is just so selfless.

Jaxjacky

Major achievement, well done that family.

I agree Jaxjacky but in practical terms I wonder how it will work.

Major achievement, well done that family.

This applies to England only. I believe Wales has a similar protocol in place.

Scotland is supposedly piloting it, but Scotgov appears to not know where.
Scottish health boards and/or hospitals currently taking part in the Martha’s Rule pilot: FOI Review - gov.scot share.google/g3BqPtN9cdt0EMrKA

I understand that A&E are so busy and understaffed, and many go there out of desperation because they can’t see a GP, which is when overworked doctors/nurses can make mistakes.
This rule/law means we can guard against those mistakes being made.
Cannot praise Martha’s parents enough for pushing/campaigning at a time when their grief was crippling. A wonderful legacy for their little girl that lives are now being saved in her name.

We refused to take my dad home until there was a care package in place. It wasn’t safe to be sent home.

They have saved almost 500 lives using Martha's Law.
Bringing this campaign to fruition must be very therapeutic for Martha's family.
I have put the contact number in my phone, just in case.

Fallingstar , thankyou for that.