NHS A&E department telling us to leave and go private????

[notgettingyounger]

I went to my local London A&E with DD, 19yo, on Monday. She was triaged as an "emergency" rather than "urgent care" and told a cubicle and bed would be found. The nurse then returned and said she wasn't trying to kick us out but not only were there no spare cubicles in "Emergencies", but there were no staff whatsoever who would be able to see DD within the necessary time-frame so she strongly suggested we go somewhere privately instead.

I said I didn't know how to even go private for an emergency, let alone how I would get to another hospital in the London morning rush-hour with a very ill young woman in such severe pain that she couldn't even walk - I asked if they would provide an ambulance to blue-light her somewhere suitable but the staff said no whilst at the same time telling me that DD was seriously sick and yet could not be seen owing to a shortage of doctors.

I don't blame the triage nurse, who I think was genuinely trying to help us get medical care ASAP, but AIBU to be shocked to be told basically to go away and find private care when turning up at A&E with a woman triaged as an emergency? Is the NHS actually broken? I shudder to think what DD would have gone through had I not been there as her advocate. In any case, I am not sure that there are private hospitals that deal with acute admissions, are there???

Incidentally, after I conducted an audible telephone conversation with DH about how the NHS hospital was asking if we could go anywhere private as they had no staff who could see her even though she urgently needed to be treated, DD was immediately seen by the Staff Nurse in Charge (who should have just finished his shift so bless him) who at least gave DD some much needed IV pain relief and a saline drip, but she was still left to lie uncomfortably across two metal chairs designed for visitors, whilst attached to her drip, as there were still no cubicles and, presumably, not a trolley in the whole hospital.

7 hours later, we finally saw a doctor who immediately admitted DD, put her on IV antibiotics and listed her for an emergency operation first thing in the morning, so we were hardly the worried well - actually, just one look at DD would have confirmed that.

Has this happened to anyone else? Is there a diktat to NHS staff that people who seem wealthy (I am well spoken and well dressed which is the only thing I can put this down to) should be redirected to private hospitals at busy times?

NB I have n/c to protect my DD's confidentiality.

I'm really sorry to ask you a potentially identifying question but was this by any chance at North Middlesex Hospital? If so it has recently been in the news that they have been closing the A&E because of overcrowding and the fact that consultants and senior doctors think it is a risk to staff and patients.

I'm sorry this happened to you and your daughter and wish your daughter a fast recovery

I read a rsthet disturbing srticle in our local paper a couple of months ago.
Some poor bloke by us had to wait in an ambulance parked outside of A&E for several hours (8 I think). He'd just come home after urgent life saving heart surgery and his famy had called an ambulance after he went grey sweaty and complained of chest pain.
Thankfully he survived his ordeal according to the local paper but was re-admitted eventually.

I would definetly complain OP. Complains aren't just about airing grievances. They're about raising concerns. I completely understand nhs I understaffed and overworked - had experience myself in April - JD was going to send me home in the middle of a full blown asthma attack - balshy nurse came swishing round the corner and refused to discharge me until I was seen by someone else. Admitted and transferred straight away, thankfully too as I became desperately ill that same night and was only seconds away from help as opposed to minutes. Was quite scary!

The NHS ethos is free at the point of care and I don't think they should be advising patients to go private.

I've re-read your OP and other posts. I agree you should make a complaint but purely about the "go private" comment from that particular nurse. No-one else appears to have acted inappropriately and unfortunately there is little point in complaining that A&E departments are busy and understaffed. However what the nurse said to you is completely unacceptable and if nothing else she should be reprimanded. If you had tried to follow her advice there could have been serious consequences. Present the facts rather than being outraged about waiting times etc.

within the neccesary time frame

this'll be the 4 hour slot.

"No. I'll wait. I'm here in the A&E. Keep a check on DD and keep asessing her.If she worsens, I'd rather be here than in a taxi on the way to another site As with all triaging the Emergencies will take priority so she will be seen"
Really horrendous situation and sadly, the shape of things to come

70 yes, that was my thinking. I felt it would be far too dangerous to leave.

Sigh, I might contact the Governors at the Trust, or the Chair, to be sure that they are aware. Not North Middlesex.

I haven't actually been told by anyone within the NHS to go private but after my 8 year old daughter was referred as "urgent" to see a paediatric gastro consultant a couple of weeks ago and we were given a date in September we chose to go private. We've now got an appointment on Tuesday. We've since taken out private medical but it won't cover this as it's pretty existing. We'll have to tighten our belts - especially if she needs an operation but I do think the NHS is far too overstretched. And I'm not prepared to gamble with my daughters health.

We also got her bloods done privately which cost £500. We got in the next day privately but it was a 5 week wait on the NHS.

My daughter is sick every single day and has stomach pain most days. No medication has worked so far and her school attendance is now below 80%. Poor thing has to sit at her desk with a sick bucket next to her.