Health Anxiety clogging up A&E

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Im really pleased that finally someone within the NHS has come out and said this.

Having been treated myself in A&E, in the corridor (outside triage) due to lack of cubicles, I was genuinely shocked at the amount of patients that attended who shouldn’t have been there. I’m not talking about those that were genuinely ill and couldn’t see the GP and had no other choice but the ones that were clearly anxious about their health and symptoms that didn’t warrant an A&E visit. They were all sent on their way but it still was time that was taken away from those patients that genuinely needed help. I wonder what the answer is to this, because something has to change.

Health anxiety not emergencies clogging-up A&E

The solution would be walk in clinics for minor illnesses which can provide support, advice and undertake simple tests. They should be open 24/7 and include a pharmacy and referral to other services if necessary.

I mean, going and sitting in A&E for hours on end isn’t exactly fun is it? Most people if they had the option would avoid it.

Exactly

What exactly did you hear that told you they didn’t need to be there?

Why do we blame those around us? If you want to know who is responsible look squarely at our government, both past and present, who are deliberately and systematically selling off our NHS at a rate of knots. Within 10 years there will be nothing left and the poor, disabled, anxious et al will just have to die.

I had to go to A&E with a suspected heart attack. I went to minor injuries first where they took an EEG and the nurse said I was fine and the doctor said " just in case"

Bloods showed nothing and the doctor on duty said maybe my pain was muscle pain from menopause. It's annoying because there is no way I can justify the time and effort even phoning to get an appointment ( I can't get a call back as teaching, surgery closes for lunch at 1pm and then no non emergency calls are taken PM) let alone the ball ache of having time off for a non emergency check up.

There is plenty of info available on who to contact. Easy to follow flow charts for whether to go to pharmacy, gp, UTC or A&E.

A&E is for serious life threatening illness such as chest pain, breathing issues, bleeding, collapses. Not a bit of tummy ache that keeps coming and going or a bit of a temp and headache. Yes obviously seek help if things worsen but people use it as a GP service.

Ring 111 and either a medical professional will call you back or signpost you to the most appropriate person/service. Not a long wait in A&E or urgent care.

Well we probably need to look at the reasons for such high levels of health anxiety & anxiety in general. It’s becoming an increasing issue. Covid didn’t help, but it goes deeper.

I think triage should be stricter, so anything that isn't an emergency if all vital signs ok send them home to see their GP. Then we wouldn't have people seriously ill waiting hours on trolleys in corridors.

111, GPs and pharmacies all shuffle you around from pillar to post without any help - as I've said up thread, I've ended up in A&E twice because nobody will see me and I become very unwell.

Again, patients aren't the problem.

I don’t believe this is purely a funding issue. Over the years, milions have been poured into the NHS, yet nothing fundamentally changes. If money alone were the solution, we’d have seen real improvements by now. The reality is that the system itself needs an entire structural overhaul—what that would look like, I don’t know, but it’s clear that simply throwing more money at the problem isn’t working.

Beyond healthcare, there’s also a huge push for housebuilding across the country. New developments are popping up everywhere, yet no real effort is being made to expand essential infrastructure—GP surgeries, hospitals, schools, transport links. This issue is only going to worsen, and I’m already seeing it happen in my area.

While some people oppose housebuilding altogether, the truth is that it’s inevitable. Instead of fighting it, we should be focusing our energy on lobbying local authorities to ensure that new housing comes with the critical infrastructure needed to support growing communities. Without that, we’re just setting ourselves up for an even bigger crisis down the line.

I digress. Going back to the original question—yes, there is huge anxiety in the population, but it’s not without reason. Addressing the symptoms of this anxiety isn’t enough—we need to start tackling the root causes.

There is plenty of info available on who to contact. Easy to follow flow charts for whether to go to pharmacy, gp, UTC or A&E.

But people can't always contact services, what are you not understanding?

A&E is for serious life threatening illness such as chest pain, breathing issues, bleeding, collapses. Not a bit of tummy ache that keeps coming and going or a bit of a temp and headache.

I didn't realise I had oxygen issues when I had pneumonia. I don't know anyone who goes to spend hours in A&E for a mild headache. There is a lack of urgent care centres.

111 are the biggest hypochondriacs going every single time iv rang them they've sent me to a&e and usually try and send an ambulance which obviously i refuse as is not needed.

I don’t think it helps that there are endless media stories about younger people dying from cancer.

Every day I seem to see a new ‘oh I didn’t realise what this symptom meant, now I have terminal cancer at 43’. In the newspapers, on social media.

It’s absolutely relentless.

Yes, but realistically what is A&E going to do about it? It stands for Accident and Emergency - if you are neither of those you shouldn’t be there

But that is obviously an emergency.

Barry from number 38 going because he has a sniffle but wants reassurance it isn't xyz (which isn't unreasonable in itself but he is in the wrong place) clearly isn't.

This thread is a bit like blaming global warming on people using plastic bags instead of paper. Really, really not the main issue.

But people like me have shocking vital signs due to other conditions such as pots which means whenever I try to go to an urgent treatment centre I get sent to a&e when it's not needed

The system doesn't work as it should. For example after a car accident my GP told me to go to minor injuries, when I got there after a load of faffing they sent me to A&E, who told me after hours of waiting when I asked that they definitely wanted me to stay as if minor injuries sent me I should definitely be there, before eventually a nurse called me in and told me they were too busy so no one could see me so they'd give me some painkillers and I should see my GP - who I'd tried to see about 12 hours earlier. This shunting me around was annoying for me but worse it was a waste of NHS resources, shuffling me round to be assessed by different HCPs who ultimately did nothing othwr than shove some codeine at me (which I couldn't take anyway due to breast feeding). As with everything it's a mix of factors causing the issues.

Amen!

Well said 👏 👌

Maybe not a fine, but I do think they could send people away with a standard letter about where they SHOULD have gone instead or what they should have done to help themselves.

Or, I honestly think that if people had to pay a small amout to be seen eg even just a fiver, it would weed out some of the unnecessary visitors.

I just think people aren't educated about the waste of resources they create when they turn up willy nilly for anything. They take it all for granted. Why can't those A&E programmes start actually educating viewers instead of or as well as showing all the personal stories. eg "Pete has come in with a suspected broken toe after tripping stepping off the pavement. As it is 11pm, he was advised that it is not an emergency and it is fine to wait till tomorrow to seek medical advice from a walk in centre or a telephone appointment with a GP. Mostly broken toes heal themselves but may need strapping up by a nurse." Or something like that.

I think those programme makers should do more to emphasise how much it costs to call out an ambulance, and in what circumstances it would be more appropriate to use your own transport or take a taxi.

Sure, but if he can't be seen anywhere else, he will turn to A&E.

Because that's the state of the NHS these days. A&E can't turn people away, because it would be a legal nightmare the second someone ends up being actually unwell.

YANBU. I'm quite unwell at the moment. I have recurring chest problems including asthma. When they flare they can take weeks to clear.

My GP saw me within an hour of the surgery opening, I called when it opened. Gave me a treatment plan and a full plan of what to do if it gets worse. First port of call being to return to him. He actually said don't got to A&E unless you really can't catch your breath, as that's the only thing he can't help with as an emergency and he doesn't want me to have to wait 12 hours to be seen.

When family and friends have asked how I got on, three different people have told me they think I should go to A&E anyway 'just to be safe'. Why?

People seem to be so frightened to take responsible for anything to do with their health that they need a second opinion for everything.

Trips to A&E for D&V because they've been the toilet 6 times in 24 hours, taking a toddler who fell over and seems fine - just to check nothing is broken! I think it's madness.

Yes, some people will have conditions that need to be seen quickly like the PP father on this thread, that's on his medical notes I'm sure. Yes, some people will have real health anxiety/OCD.

I think SM is to blame too. Getting attention for tagging yourself at hospital. Seeing other people doing it and wondering if they've gone to hospital for XYZ is that what you should do.

Many areas need massive improvements in GP services. Not all, where I live (major city) they are excellent. I also think we need some form of public service announcements/big advertising push about what A&E is for.

Interesting - must vary across the country. I’ve always found ours quick and caring. What a shame.