To share ways to make A&E more bareable

Only been twice but neither occasion did we have time to 'charge a power bank'

First my son got kicked in the head and went blind (temporarily luckily) at a football game and I drove him to A and E and second my partner collapsed, just keeled over in total agony (pancreatitis - was given a 50/50 chance of living)

Both times we were seen immediately - luckily I've never had to wait but both times we went were potential life death emergencies

I hate the trope that A&E is solely for an accident or an emergency and everywhere has a minor injuries unit, I’ve been to A&E countless times for stitches due to self harm when having a mental health crisis. Wait times have varied from 30 mins or so to 13 hours. I wouldn’t say self harm needing stitches is an accident (obviously) or an emergency, but equally it’s not something you want to ignore for 2 days waiting to get a GP appointment and not sure my GP would do stitches anyway. Ignoring would lead to increased infection risk which would cost the NHS much more. Where would you suggest I should have gone for my non emergency, non accidental but serious wounds (often requiring internal stitches, not something I could just steri strip at home)? There is no minor injuries unit or walk in centre etc near me.

It doesn't matter if there's a more appropriate service than A&E if that service isn't actually available.

I have to say, I’ve never really been in a situation where I’ve thought to gather some things to make me more comfortable while waiting in a&e. I’ve gone for (many!) broken bones wretched horses over the years, mostly recently my ankle and altho I was only there for four ish hours all in, I was pleased that I’d got my phone charger in the car, and my headphones in my bag! I watched several episodes of below deck 🤣 The most serious was sepsis, and I was completely out of it so no sense of being bored or uncomfortable anyway!

I typed a few responses before settling on the least offensive.

Going through someone’s posting history to bring it up on their thread is not OK.

What would have made A&E bearable for me when I was there for 9 hours recently would have been: 1. not having to sit on a chair doubled up in agony the whole time; 2. being given adequate pain medication in under 3.5 hours; 3. actually being communicated with as a patient - if you know what you can expect in terms of how they process you, expectations are at least managed. The only communication was asking relatives to give up seats for patients (many ignored this request) and announcements stating it would be three hours to see a doctor, by which time I'd already been there longer; 4. nurse carrying out obs of those patients in pain actually responding to me when I advised my pain 10/10 and I asked for something for it. Instead she completely ignored me; 5. seeing a doctor who could speak enough English to properly explain what my ultrasound results showed; and 6. not being fobbed off at the end of all this.

111 sent me to A&E but the experience was horrific.

That's not true though.

I could stand up without pain but I was at risk of a very life changing issue.

That's why I was seen within 30 minutes of arriving at A+E.

People saying those who need treatment don’t wait…..

last time I was in hospital, I spent 18 hours in the waiting room. I was then admitted on to a ward for 8 days.

Sometimes, you really do have to wait.

It’s called Accident and EMERGENCY for a reason! It should be used when really urgent and in that case if you’re a very urgent case you shouldn’t be left waiting long. It’s not thankfully something I think about as on the rare occasion we need to use it, I’d take snacks, a drink and a jumper and hope for the best.
If it was made comfortable, they’d have even more people queuing to get a nice comfy seat!!

I do throw some thing together - snacks, puzzles, books and drinks for the kids. My experience is that when you're there, you're stuck there and if you're the only adult with one sick child and another little one, it's hard even to get away to get food for the well child. Obviously I can't leave a child for 6-7 hours without eating, so if we're going I chuck the snack box in my bag to take with us.

I fractured my elbow. Slept on it overnight and wandered into a&e Sunday morning. Plenty of time to pack a bag.

got sent to a&e by 111 for suspected appendicitis with ds. Plenty of time to take the essentials. Unless you’re being blue lighted there you can grab a few things before you go.

After my recent a&e experience where I needed a nebuliser, I'll have to be literally at death's door and dragged there to go again.

Brought in by ambulance with breathing difficulties. I'm autistic with support needs that are simple but vital for me to feel safe. Paramedics were wonderful and clear with rapid response staff who admitted me what those needs were.

Despite me wearing a sunflower lanyard, none of my needs were met. They put me in majors but registered me as being in minors. They lost me for 3 hours. The doctor only found me by calling me on my mobile. During that 3 hours, I was sat in silent meltdown with tears running down my face, stimming continually and completely ignored, in a brightly lit room with hard chairs.

My treatment once I was found was wonderful. The doctor immediately wrapped me firmly in a sheet in a quiet cubicle and turned down there lights. She explained everything that was going to happen step by step and I was treated appropriately until I was well enough to go home.

I'm still incredibly traumatised by this 3 weeks later.

Some of these posts are very naive 😕 My daughter had emergency surgery on Thursday at 12.30 pm. We arrived at a&e at 7am on Wednesday. Pain ++, vomitting, infection markers up. It took 12 hours to get a scan, another 4 hours for results / plan. Then another 12 hours to get to theatre. It was awful. Post surgery the ward staff were lovely and we came home last night. Lucky you who hasn't needed a&e or who lives somewhere with with a small population. I'm a nurse / Midwife of 30 years, I've worked in a&e years ago.... and I can say with confidence that the drop in standards of care (certainly where we live) is horrendous 💔

You need to do a bit of work on what ‘stalking’ is. Lazy, offensive retort.

You can have a pre-packed bag or gather the essentials while the ambulance is on the way - which is what we did at first. We still had enough time after getting off the phone to 999 to pick up a blanket, phone and charger and throw some clothes on over pyjamas.

I've been to A&E a few times in the last 5 years.
Once because 3 week old DS had a terrible hacking, rasping cough and the midwife told me on the phone to skip the GP and go to A&E, but to pack an overnight bag first - excellent advice, we were seen within an hour and admitted with RSV.
Once because 8 week old DD gradually over the course of a day came up in a full-body rash and then spiked a temp that wouldn't settle with paracetamol. By the time it was apparent that it was serious, it was 5pm and the GP was shut so 111 advised A&E. Again, we did take 10 mins to throw a bag together, which we needed as admitted overnight.
Once because 3yo DS fell down a stone staircase on a day out - fine initially but then started saying he was dizzy and was tripping over, couldn't walk straight etc. We already had a bag as we were out but I stopped at the petrol station en route to grab water and snacks (again we needed them - long wait and I had both kids with me).
Most recently because 4yo DS fell and got a gash in his head. I know head wounds bleed a lot and can look worse than they are, so I took him to minor injuries first and they redirected me to A&E. Again, I did spend 5 minutes throwing a phone charger, water, snacks and a colouring book into a bag.

They were all appropriate visits to A&E, and in each case I had time to pack a bag first - it only takes minutes to throw a couple bits into a bag. The only time I haven't taken a bag with me was after a suicide attempt pre-DC, when I wasn't in the right state of mind to think about it.

So much judgemental crap on this thread.

The reason A&Es are so busy is not because patients are using them irresponsibly but because of failings elsewhere in the healthcare system.

I have been sent to paediatric A&E three times over the past year, not because my children really needed emergency treatment but because our GP had no appointments (you have to call bang on 8.30 and the illnesses developed after that) and we were directed there when I called 111 for help. They were things that we really did need to be seen about in good time - laboured breathing, constant vomiting in a young child, dehydration - but probably not accidents or emergencies.

Stalking is not a good look @verifyinhuman

Accident and emergency !!!!!! So you can't be 'preparing' to go to A&E

Exactly - our GP surgery will now only make appointments for emergencies. I don't know where I'm meant to go for anything that is making me unwell but isn't life-threatening now.