So I’m currently sitting in A & E and it’s been eye opening

[Stressedout150]

I’m sitting with my mother who is in here for chest pains. The wait to be triaged is 2 hours and 5 hours overall to be seen.

Here’s a few things I’ve noticed:

1. it’s sitting on the floor room only, and i happen to be sitting next to check in. So here’s what I’ve seen so far.

2. a lady coming in checking in for pain in her toe

3. a lady who was told it’s a 5 hour wait, and after been told that/ was then asked if the wait still applied to NHS staff- as she works for a hospital. She was told yes of course. The cheek of it

4. a chap who checked in his girlfriend due to a headache.

it goes on and on/ I’ve never seen anything like the cheek of some people and also the ridiculous shit people are here for. And even when told it’s a 5 hour waits, they seem quite happy to wait 5 hours for their toe to be assessed.

What the fuck is going on

Lack of daily NHS appointments
Dr Google
Genuine pain/anxiety

Most A&Es have triage for the less serious conditions, those patients get diverted off to another service nowadays. is that streaming not evident at all?

Not so far from what I am seeing. It’s just bonkers in here

oh wait, I'm being daft... the streaming tends to operate 9-5 which actually is when most of the minor-issue patients turn up.

People turning up for 5 hour wait with a sore toe at 9-10pm truly is bizarre !!

It’s the drama Mick, they love it.

Ever wondered why A&E is deserted during the World Cup?

They probably can't get a gp appointment.
There may not be any minor injuries clinics anywhere near.
Their only option might be a pharmacist and they ate all clised at this time of night.

I’m glad you weren’t in charge the day I went to A&E with a headache and found out I was having a pit gland haemorrhage! Or the time I had a headache due to bacterial meningitis.

Fair play at managing to get a phone signal!

A&E is bonkers.

But actually I really hate the fact people have to part with such personal information in front of everyone.

It can be humiliating and degrading to have complete strangers listening to all the gory details of why you're there.

I think it can be hard to really understand why someone is there based on the small amount of info you have.

For example I had to go into A&E last year, I looked perfectly well, I was mobile, not in any pain or visibly ill in any way.

i had been told by the doctor to go because my continuous glucose monitor was alerting me of consistently extraordinarily high sugar readings. Turns out I was diabetic and just didn’t know, my sugar readings were 3 times higher than the top end of normal and the nurses were commenting that they were surprised I was still lucid. I’d only put the CGM on because I’d been feeling a bit rough for a few months and thought it might give me some useful info to feel a bit more healthy. It did, just not quite what I expected.

Is A&E deserted during big games?
Surely the drama lovers aren't also all footie lovers too, are they?

Imagine the scale of ambulance misuse / call outs. Seriously affecting those in genuine need.

In general, I agree, I think a lot of people have completely lost confidence in how to treat themselves at home and when to seek medical attention/what level of medical attention is appropriate l.
But also, you are only over hearing snippets, not the full story. Headaches for example can vary wildly from barely noticeable/need a drink/pop a paracetamol to feeling like your brain is being squeezed out of your head and you can't function for the pain. They can also indicate an emergency with other symptoms.

I was recently sent there for an overspill GP appointment and people were turning up at A&E for earache, backache, minor things that could have been dealt with else where.

So true. They should try to find a better way around that.

So 3 people in pain.
What's your point?

I think most people who go to A and E are genuinely in pain though. I mean, a bad toe could be broken I’m guessing? Or an ingrown nail that’s infected?
A headache could be meningitis. Or a tumour or stroke.
You are hearing just a snapshot.
I was in A and E a few weeks ago. It was busy but the staff were amazing. I was there for MH issues (sent by my MH team). Really I shouldn’t have been there, it should have been dealt with externally but I think they were too busy so sent me there. I think that happens quite a lot.

Actually I agree with a PP.

I'm not sure why you're incredulous that someone would turn up at A&E with a headache??

And even a pain in the toe can be a serious complication due to diabetes.

What drives me mad is the number of times you are asked 'tell me exactly what happened'. It's just so inefficient.

Headache could be many serious things. Don’t be too quick to judge.

Headaches can be serious. A toe infection for someone on steroids can need IV antibiotics. They might be at risk of sepsis. You don't know how serious their problems are.

To be fair the headache could be something - so perhaps I’m being unfair.

im not trying to overhear either. Its sitting room on the floor only and only spare space is by check in.

the toe thing though, nah not having that. She said she banged her little toe on the bathroom step and now it’s sore. I mean is a broken little toe a medical emergency even if it was?!

I watched a video the other night on TikTok from an emergency medicine doctor talking about the rules etc of a&e. There basically no priority unless it’s a proper emergency like a head blow or cardiac arrest etc. even those that come in an ambulance get assessed accordingly and have to wait the same. They used to try see younger patients I.e kids first but if there’s no paediatric nurses or doctors they wait the same. I’ve had to take my very accident prone doctor to a&e a few times and it’s definitely an eye opener. I took her last year after she was knocked over accidently by one of her friends who drove head on into her with their bike. She was injured but nothing serious but the next day her knee was twice the size bruised and unable to walk. So I was like yup that needs checked out. It was roasting hot I mean sweltering hot. There was a young couple with a new born who cried the full time there the baby was sweating the mum was sweating rocking the baby stressed. People complaining there was no seats and it was just super busy. I was chatting to the mum asked if she was okay etc. my daughter got called by the triage and then we needed to wait for a doctor. Couple hours passed we got called and I said take the baby first and they said not a priority case I said well my daughters got a sore leg her pains managed and clearly this newborns pain isn’t managed and the parents are stressed to max here. They eventually agreed. It was a no brainer for me. I’m not saying anyone should get priority btw I just think in that situation I remember having a newborn and they were so stressed. We have to wait in a&e to wait even if we have an out of hours appointment too xxx

I went to A&E with a sore toe. It was broken and dislocated. What should I have done?

To be fair I did go in the morning.

Mumsnet poster going 'for peace of mind' when all replies say to visit the pharmacy in the morning

Minor injuries is what you should have done