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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To print off this definition and staple it to peoples foreheads?

73 replies

RedButtonhole · 11/10/2015 12:40

ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY - ^A hospital dept. Concerned with the provision of treatment for those who have been seriously injured in an accident, or who have suddenly taken seriously ill.
^
Seriously. Yet another tube posting on facebook about going to A&E for something trivial, that they've had all week and could have gone before the weekend, or indeed could wait until tomorrow.

We are not even in an area where it's difficult to get a GP appointment.

OP posts:

sallysparrow157 · 11/10/2015 14:03

Most of the examples people have given on here are either accidents (hurting an ankle, getting toxic stuff in your eye and so on) or emergencies (losing strength in a limb without an injury). Other things (infected bites and so on) could be seen by an out of hours gp or minor injuries service.

What the op describes is someone with something they've had all week and has not got suddenly worse. This could be something trivial (a bit of a sore throat maybe) or something potentially serious (a breast lump for example). However, something that has been going on for a while and had not got suddenly worse is neither an accident or an emergency, does not need to be seen today when it could be seen tomorrow, and is probably not best suited to being seen in an emergency department which (apart from in very specific situations like fracture clinic) cannot arrange follow ups or outpatient scans and is limited in what it is able to prescribe to take home.

goawayalready · 11/10/2015 14:05

yes i would actually like a survey done as to how much a&e attendance has increased due to 111 they sent an ambulance out just because my son could not touch his chin to his chest i wanted (and needed) an appointment with out of hours down the road) i knew he had tonsillitis i thought his ears were off too (and i was right) it was friday and no doctors till monday all i needed was an appointment so he failed the meningitis test and they sent an ambulance four hours later we have a flying doctor who could have been with me within four minutes he was livid when he found out what they did he had nothing to do all night he could have been up the road to us within minutes

and yes he did have an ear infection and tonsillitis

111 is a menace!

i actually apologised to a doctor for lying on the phone to them as i knew my son had infected chicken pox and not meningitis but i also knew he would fail their tests so to prevent an ambulance being sent out again i lied she said she would lie too it was obvious what was wrong with my son it was not meningitis!

ForTheSakeOfFuck · 11/10/2015 14:06

Worra, use a straw man, expect condescension.

TheStripyGruffalo · 11/10/2015 14:12

A&E is often the only alternative when the walk in centers don't offer x-rays outside of office hours.

Fairenuff · 11/10/2015 14:14

With gps closed evenings and weekends and a serious lack of minor injuries units, where else are people supposed to go if it needs more than a sticking plaster?

sallysparrow157 · 11/10/2015 14:24

If it needs more than basic first aid or needs an X Ray urgently to rule out a fracture then of course a&e is sensible. If it is a new worrying symptom there is the out of hours gp service.
If it has been going on all week and is the same as it was on Friday, go see the gp on Monday.

No one is suggesting it is wrong to go to a&e if you need to. But if you have a symptom which has been the same all week and is not getting worse it is inappropriate to go to a&e on a Sunday and instead you should go to your gp on monday

goodasitgets · 11/10/2015 14:30

You can refuse an ambulance from 111: I did when I had chest pain and they put me through to an OOH GP instead

Sirzy · 11/10/2015 14:32

In general I agree Sally.

However sometimes even then you do need a and e. I was ill all day Tuesday, wasn't getting worse wasn't getting better so took myself to walk in centre. They were worried about the symptoms and sent me to a and e. I thought they were over reacting but in reality I did need it. If I had waited for GP the next day I would have probably ended up being rushed in as a true emergency.

The issue is - aswell as patchy out of hours care - everyone has different thresholds for seeking help in the first place, I am a "oh it will be fine" type person (with my own Heath) so by the time I did seek help although the symptoms hadn't really worsened it was at the point of being a real problem and one which couldn't wait. Others may seek medical advice at an early point so maybe avoid it getting worse.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 11/10/2015 14:36

YANBU op. The number of people in A&E for things they could easily treat at home or wait until the next day for GP surgery is astounding.

I've seen people with tummy bugs, sore throats that haven't cleared up after a few days, chicken pox (a special ffs for that one) and various other minor, self-limiting illnesses. You also see the same things in the GP surgery - second day of a cold, sore throat (but can swallow fine), sick bug, she's had a cough for a week so she needs antibiotics despite not having any other conditions or even a temperature etc etc.

If people used common sense we could all have appointments when we actually need them and those who need treatment could get it sooner.

How to cope with coughs and colds and when to get medical help should be taught at schools.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 11/10/2015 14:42

Actually it doesn't need to be a serious accident to warrant A&E op so I do disagree there.

Things that need suturing, x-raying, strapping up properly, gluing etc etc should be seen at A&E if there is no suitable walk in clinic that does those things.

Original poster

RedButtonhole · 11/10/2015 14:46

Thankyou, Moving. That is what I was referring to - actual blatant timewasters who sit around with something like a big spot, or a cough for a week, do nothing and the roll up to A&E for a bit of drama and post on facebook that they need antibiotics despite nothing having changed. Not someone who has got something poentially dangerous in their eyes and needs to have it looked at to be safe, or someone who goes with a genuine worry that they are unsure about and it turns out to be nothing.

My definition was copied from google, so apologies if it's not 100% on the nose, but I can't think of anything not serious I would go to A&E for. Surely you go to A&E for something that requires immediate medical attention, what's that if not serious?

OP posts:

Original poster

RedButtonhole · 11/10/2015 14:50

Stripy I live in an area without walk in centres, we have GP and then A&E, I'm not referring to people who need x-rays. If you need an x-ray, I doubt your injury is trivial,cor certainly doesn't seem trivial at first glance.

OP posts:

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 11/10/2015 14:51

I've never had an issue with 111 giving inappropriate advice. My recent call to them was this week about dc having an asthma exacerbation and the got us an appointment with ooh within 15mins within 90mins all tolled we had been up there, got seen, given medication and sent home again. I think it depends on the advisor you speak to, some are prone to panicking but others have a sensible head on their shoulders and are good in a crisis.

sallysparrow157 · 11/10/2015 14:54

Sirzy, one of the things that out of hours and minor injury places are trained to do (whether run by doctors or nurses) is identify things that are outside the scope of their care and refer appropriately (this will sometimes be to a&e or straight to the on call surgical or medical or paediatric or obstetric or whatever people). You went to who you thought was appropriate and were triaged to the people who actually were able to give the treatment you needed.

SoDiana · 11/10/2015 15:06

I am in a situation where I don't know whether to go to a and e or not. I have gone to gp on three occasion. With same issue. She has referred me twice to gynaecological team. A month later I have no appointment and am possibly bleeding to death. I am not a doctor so don't want to go to a and e in case its not an emergency. Im not in a position to fucking diagnose myself though.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 11/10/2015 15:14

I used to know a GP back when they did their own on-call - she said much the same thing used to happen to her too, people would have been coughing up a lung for about 3 or 4 days but then decide at 3am they had to have the on-call GP come for a visit for antibiotics. Ditto D&V, or pretty much anything.
I know there is this thing where people suddenly think they're dying during the early hours of the morning but FFS - if they've survived with the same symptoms (i.e. not suddenly got a lot worse) for the previous few days, they're going to survive the next few hours and go to the GP in daylight hours.

SoDiana - if you're bleeding heavily daily, are you now finding that you're short of breath, finding it hard to breathe? If your breathing is in any way affected, get to A&E. When I worked in a hospital haematology/transfusion dept, we had a lady come in who had been bleeding solidly for 6w pv, she was white as a sheet and had fainted - her haemoglobin was 2 (normal is 11.5-18 or thereabouts) - we were amazed she was still alive, tbh.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 11/10/2015 15:18

What makes you think you are "bleeding to death" SoDiana? I can't tell if you're serious or exaggerating for effect. Excessive bleeding with a threat to life is a reason to go. Thinking A&E will fast track an existing condition is not.

Sounds awful btw. Hope your referral comes through asap and you get fixed up Care for women and women specific illnesses can be dreadfully poor.

SoDiana · 11/10/2015 15:18

What I am trying to say is that I don't know whether what is wrong with me is worthy of immediate treatment or not. I don't have a leg hanging on by skin. But I am bleeding and passing clots on a daily basis. What the fuck do I do?

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 11/10/2015 15:22

SoDiana - as I said, if your breathing is in any way affected, go to A&E. Otherwise go to the GP again tomorrow and demand a FBC at the very least, to check your haemoglobin and preferably a ferritin test as well to check your iron status.

goodasitgets · 11/10/2015 15:26

Bleeding like a period I would wait
Pouring blood or gushing - a&e

goodasitgets · 11/10/2015 15:27

Oops when I say wait, I don't mean for the referral, I mean to ring the doctor tomorrow!

SoDiana · 11/10/2015 15:29

I will go to gp tomorrow. But should I be in a and e today? I dont know. And I hate the perception that I am taking time from other more deserving patients.
I don't know what is wrong! !!!

SoDiana · 11/10/2015 15:34

I have asthma and am just recovering from pleurisy so I cannot tell you whether my breathing being difficult is due to a chest infection, or something else. But yes. I am out of breath when turning over in bed for eg

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 11/10/2015 15:39

Get seen by a GP tomorrow for an urgent blood test, and if they can't see you for a few days then go to A&E. Seriously. It might be your asthma, it might be the after effects of pleurisy, or it might just be that you're running out of red blood cells and need to be given some. Get seen tomorrow, one way or another.

SoDiana · 11/10/2015 15:42

Why do I.feel im bleeding to death? Because im bleeding and passing clots most days for months.

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