Any recent experience of A&E

[Greensheep242]

Worried that I will need to go to A&E. Anyone any recent experience, worried about having to wait in crowded waiting rooms.

I'd advise you contact 111 before venturing to A&E as ours are only taking in trauma patients at the door unless they've been seen and referred by a GP or the out of hours.

I have tried the 111 symptom checker but this says to have a same day Gp appointment. However, my GP has tried to refer me for some symptoms and advised that I should go to A&E if the medication they prescribed did not stop vomiting.

DH had to go to A & E about a week ago with kidney stones. I dropped him there at 4am and he was the only one there. Seen, scanned and back home by 6.15. Good luck

Glad to know it may actually be quieter. Hope your DH is recovering well.

MIL has been at A&E a couple of times in the last few weeks and it’s been silent.

I’d have avoided Saturday night if at all possible as the pubs reopened but if you need to be there OP, you need to be there.

Ds had appendicitis a few weeks ago. They were taking temperatures at the door.
Because he had one we didn't even get through the door, we were sent straight up to a private ward until test results came back when he was moved to an open ward (after op too)

I've been to A&E twice in the past 3 weeks! Bloody kids. First time was for the 8 year old, scratched eye, phoned 111 and they sent us, seen and out within an hour, only 3 other adults there and 1 child.

Second time was for the 2 month old, rang local hospital first as an emergency, told to ring 111, tried, but baby was screaming so horrifically that I couldn't hear anything. Put the phone down and just went to A&E, seen immediately! Had to stay in overnight but they were fantastic!

I went a couple of weeks ago as I had a splinter in my eye. I was petrified to go in but it was absolutely fine. I had to go alone, my temperature was taken as soon as I entered the area and I was then was asked to go wash my hands. The waiting room was fairly empty and I didn’t have to wait long at all. The nurse was in full ppe and it was sorted really quickly.

A friend went to A&E in an ambulance last Saturday night with possible Cauda Equina symptoms, went in at 10pm and was sent home with oramorph at 2.30am as no beds and nobody to operate the scanner. He said it was heaving with trolleys in corridors. Obviously depends on area. Mind you Saturday night isn’t easy in any areas A&E.

I went a few weeks ago with my DS... they’ve taped off chairs so no-one can sit too close and it was just the patient that was to wait unless it was a child or someone needing a carer.

We've been twice in lockdown, admittedly some weeks ago now, and in the SW. Both times it was really really quiet and we were seen (peads) immediately. All COVID cases were being treated elsewhere. At reception we were asked re recent symptoms and any contact with known cases and had our temps taken. In and out both times within an hour. I suspect, however, that things may be busier now.

My DP is a porter at a large hospital A&E. he's been bored! Barely 5 jobs in a 12hr shift it's so quiet.

Glad for the most part you all seem to have been to hospitals with good procedures in place.

I am hoping that I won’t need to go as had a call with my GP who said to come in for an appointment at 12.

Ours is split into non-respiratory issues section and the respiratory section (covid).
We were at non-respiratory and there were about 6 people sat at least 5 meters apart.
We we're then send to the resp section. We we're there for 3 hours and we were the only people there the entire time.

I went in for a pregnancy related issue a few weeks ago (triage directed me there after refusing to see me at maternity-go figure!) It was quite busy. You could still sit one seat apart and everyone was wearing masks but still didn't feel great about it, would have felt better if I wasn't pregnant and in a risk category though! I would take a drink with you though, I forgot and spent 4 hours dying of thirst because someone was sat right next to the water dispenser although I probably wouldn't have wanted to use it anyway. I'm on the south coast and this was midweek at 7pm.