A&E Waiting Times

[roses2]

I've just come back from a visit to A&E as DS (age 4) smacked his head on the table. In and out in 30 minutes which included initial triage followed by glue to his head. Only one other patient waiting to be seen. This was Central London around 8pm.

The doctor said people just aren't going to A&E anymore as they are afraid of catching coronovirus. He said it just goes to show the majority of people who go to A&E don't really need to and if it stayed this way for the future it would free up resources and NHS cash so they could focus where it would make a real difference.

Not really an AIBU I guess but if there was a way they could send patients away that don't really need to see anyone would be such a huge relief to the system.

Where are all these sick people that normally visit A&E now? At home self healing?

I work in A&E as does my DP (different hospitals) and the majority coming in are the actual sick ones. There is a definite change to the use we still get referrals from GP’s and walk ins but the reduction in 9 month back pains.etc has more than halfed. We are getting the odd one who shouldn't be there and they have happily admitted they don't understand what the problem is.

It's funny that isn't it.

I said to my husband that this will stop all the time wasters going to A&E a few days ago.

That’s great. At least if people can’t get an ambulance if they can get there they can get help.

Pothole that’s not good though.

Absolutely right OP. The only time I've ever been to A&E in over 3 decades was while I was pregnant (the issue wasn't about the pregnancy but was caused by the pregnancy).

I spent 4 hours sitting near the reception desk waiting to be seen and some of the things people came in for was outrageous - one woman who came in with ring work FFS - could have been dealt with at a flipping pharmacy - and another who'd fainted at work the previous day and when the receptionist asked if she'd been to her GP she proudly replied she hadn't been to her GP in 7 years. So go to your GP you daft cow rather than clogging up A&E.

Ridiculous.

*ringworm not "ring work"