2nd night in A&E

[aliasname]

DD (18) was taken into hospital yesterday for cardiac monitoring after she has had heartbeat issues for a few weeks.

She's had an x-ray, is waiting for a scan, and is on an ECG all the time. She spent last night in a chair, no sleep.

When I phoned this afternoon, they said they were still waiting for a bed for her, and some patients had been waiting 3 days! Actually I don't know if it is A&E or if its an assessment ward, but I do know she has been sitting in a chair for over 24 hours.

No visitors so its hard to know exactly what's going on, but is this normal?! So worried about her...

[AllThingsServeTheBeam]

The NHS is on its knees. So sorry your daughter is going through this op.

[GrrrlPwr]

Same in our local hospital.
It is horrendous.
You need a really bossy sister on your ward to get her a bed on a ward. Offer to change hospital if there's space elsewhere?

[aliasname]

I just read another thread about someone's husband who had a stroke and there was a delay with the ambulance. Now I feel guilty because some people do have it worse off, and at least DD is being looked after.

[CaptainCallisto]

One of my colleagues collapsed at work on Friday after complaining of awful stomach pain. Called an ambulance, and the paramedics suspected appendicitis. The ambulance got to us within 45 minutes, but she sat in it outside the hospital for nine and a half hours before even making it in through the hospital doors. Luckily her appendix didn't burst and she was able to have surgery to remove it in time. I'm absolutely terrified by the state of the NHS at the moment, and have nothing but admiration and sympathy for the poor souls trying to do their best by their patients in a rapidly sinking ship.

[GrrrlPwr]

No you are right to be cross. She should be on a proper ward not sitting in a chair. It is appalling.

[Hoolahupsaresquare]

Neither of those situations are acceptable.

She should at the very least be able to rest in a bed. Does she know how long she’s likely to be there for/what further tests are needed ?

Can she come home and return for any of them ?

[GrrrlPwr]

If you go home you get deleted off the system & you start all over again.

I heard someone self discharge from a&e and it was explained to them.

There are simply not enough beds on the wards to put people on.

It is horrific. Should be front page news

[RosesAndHellebores]

It's disgraceful and it's time for it to stop. Please email PALS, your MP and the hospital CEO and say something like:

Dear

My daughter currently needs her heart to be monitored. She was admitted to x hospital on, xx hours ago. After xx hours she is on an ecg, sitting upright in a chair. This has prevailed through one night as well as all the daylight hours.

My dd is 18 and I am not allowed to be with her despite the fact she is, due to her condition, a vulnerable adult.

I would be grateful if somebody would telephone me as a matter of urgency to explain when my daughter, who is ill, will be provided with the bed and rest her condition requires. I would also like to know why I am not allowed to be with her and trust you are able to confirm that in my absence her every physical and emotional need is being met.

I look forward to hearing from you without delay to be informed of the clinical and pastoral plans that are in place for my daughter. My MP is copied because they need to be aware of the gravity of the situation for patients and their families at present.

Yours sincerely

[Rupertpenrysmistress]

This is awful a bed at least would be something she must be exhausted. As a ward sister, I would say go and ask to be with her and try to be an advocate for her, in my experience those who say nothing tend to wait the longest. I know first hand how stretched the NHS is. If this were my daughter I would be up there with her.

[GrrrlPwr]

Shifts change at 8am 8pm. Takes a while to do a handover. I'd go down at 9am and ask to speak to the sister. Do not take no for an answer. People get forgotten about if they do not have anyone advocating for them. Polite but firm. Understanding but insistent. Go back every 2 hours to speak to the sister.

[MauveMavis]

Sympathies. It’s awful and not the standard of care anyone wants to give or receive but FGS don’t complain to the hospital.

The systematic underfunding of the NHS was a political decision.
Brexit which decimated our nursing staff was a political decision.
The removal of the student bursary for nurses was a political decision.

As NHS staff we can’t magic up more bed and more staff and our dear esteemed government via their decision making since 2010 have made totally and utterly sure that both are in short supply.

[KikoLemons]

I'm so sorry to hear this and hope she gets what she needs very soon.
Sadly I dont think writing to the MP will achieve much. What can they do?

The only real solution at the moment is to limit treatment. They can't admit to that and they daren't be seen to discriminate so it happens by default. Too many people, too many complainers and entitled beings wanting to be seen for nothing, too much paperwork to cover your back and shift the blame, and not enough money or courage from the top to sort it all out.

But for you and your DD OP this is truly terrible. I wish you all the best.

[covetingthepreciousthings]

Actually I don't know if it is A&E or if its an assessment ward, but I do know she has been sitting in a chair for over 24 hours.

Is she sitting in a chair because there's no beds or because she needs to? I only ask because a relative had heart issues this year and was admitted via A&E and they also had to sit in a chair for a similar amount of time. It wasn't due to lack of beds, it was due to the type of monitoring they were doing on their heart I believe which meant they couldn't lay down.

[Houseplantmad]

I had a suspected heart attack (later confirmed) - was taken in by ambulance but sat on a chair in a and e for 7 hours before I was seen by a Dr. Brilliant treatment once I was on the ward but appalling in A and E.

[Sidge]

@GrrrlPwr

Shifts change at 8am 8pm. Takes a while to do a handover. I'd go down at 9am and ask to speak to the sister. Do not take no for an answer. People get forgotten about if they do not have anyone advocating for them. Polite but firm. Understanding but insistent. Go back every 2 hours to speak to the sister.

Yeah don’t do this.

Staff are busy enough and demanding to see the sister/charge nurse every two hours isn’t going to magic up a bed.

Also she’s not a vulnerable adult.

It’s shit and I sympathise. But harassing staff and firing letters off aren’t going to get her a bed any quicker.

The NHS is broken.

[aliasname]

@covetingthepreciousthings

Actually I don't know if it is A&E or if its an assessment ward, but I do know she has been sitting in a chair for over 24 hours.

Is she sitting in a chair because there's no beds or because she needs to? I only ask because a relative had heart issues this year and was admitted via A&E and they also had to sit in a chair for a similar amount of time. It wasn't due to lack of beds, it was due to the type of monitoring they were doing on their heart I believe which meant they couldn't lay down.

Because there's no beds, we've been told. Maybe she needs to sit in the chair for some of the monitoring, but surely not for 36 hours without sleep.

[GreyhoundG1rl]

God, that's terrible

[aliasname]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. Unfortunately we are not nearby, and were told no visitors anyway.

They have now said she can't discharge herself because of her heart rate.

Do you think they will let her go if I get an immediate appointment tomorrow with a private cardiologist?

[Eve]

On the other side ,

my DS suspected he broke his finger playing 5 aside yesterday, went to A&E @ 11pm , xrayed and out by 1.30am confirmed broken.

Call this morning to attend fracture clinic at 2pm , confirmed badly broken, strapped up & appointment for hand clinic in 3 weeks.

I was pretty surprised at those timings.

[Rosemaryandlemon]

A major problem is also bed blocking. Older people who are well enough aren’t going into care homes (where they normally would) for rehab. So there is also major bed blocking.

Some is patients and families refusing (obviously after Covid some people are really scared about going into care homes).

Other care homes have stopped accepting new patients because they are so short staffed (Brexit and also compulsory vaccination so loads of staff have had to be fired).

[DaisyNGO]

"Do you think they will let her go if I get an immediate appointment tomorrow with a private cardiologist?"

I imagine so

I have discharged myself while monitored for VTC. This was 20 years ago though.

How high is her heart rate, has she been given meds?

Friend in 60s was in for two days - on a trolley in a corridor - after suspected heart attack. Her DH got her a private appointment and she just quietly left.

Turned out she didn't have a heart attack though.

Sending good wishes to you both

[GreenLunchBox]

Omg OP, that is shocking

We're like a third world country now

[GreenLunchBox]

I hope your DD is out soon and gets well soon

[Cocolapew]

My Dad spent 42 on a trolley in A&E, he had terminal cancer. Unfortunately there was fuck all we could do, there was 50 people waiting for beds, they couldn't magic them up.
I hope your DD is ok

[WaterAndRichTea]

Is she safe to be at home over night?

Before she discharges herself, can you be 100% sure she will get an appointment and what happens if the private cardiologist says she needs hospital care?
Can you afford Private in patient care?