To ask what a&e is actually like at the moment

[Takemebackto]

It’s been reported in a local newspaper here that people have been avoiding a&e. Are a&e’s full of people suffering from the virus? Are they separated from patients in for other reasons?

Yes and yes!

We didn’t go to A&E but we did had to attend an ‘emergency appointment’ due to a sudden new issue with DD.

A department we had never been to before and it was highlighted to us many times over our 7 hour stay there yesterday by lots of different NHS staff that people are suffering at home unnecessarily for fear of the unknown regarding A&E.

They are separating Covid patients into their own completely separate area.

I had to take DS this morning as he broke his wrist - it was empty. We were the only people in there, and in the X-ray dept. We were back home within the hour. Quite eerie really, it’s usually chocka.

Suspected covid patients are separated.

A&E for non covid conditions is really quiet at our local hospital. Covid patients are in a different area with different staff to othe patients.

Do you need to go op?

Very quiet apparently. DH's colleague was there and there were only three people waiting. He was seen very quickly.

I was in last week for a broken bone. I was the only one in there so was in an out quickly. Felt very unsafe in corridors due to sheer number of staff and people moving around in close proximity. None of the staff in non-covid A&E had any PPE, apart from plastering team.

It was a sobering experience seeing the constant stream of ambulances and also vans picking up samples for testing.

As far as I hear from colleagues working in that area, a&e has never been so quiet.

Less road accidents, work accidents, less people out and about. People scared of coming in.

Where I work there are separate areas for Covid-19 and other emergencies. The suspected Covid-19 patient admission process is constantly reviewed but seems to be under control as far as I can tell (apart from the PPE issues). I'd say the hospital I work is is coping better with the workload than I've ever seen it.

I'm more worried about PPE. And then how we'll cope when we get back to more non urgent and outpatient work combined with Covid-19 which isn't going away anytime soon.

A&E quiet where I am.

Apparently my local A&E has never been so quiet.

Some of that must be down to not having the usual car accidents, Saturday night drunks, kids fallen off their bikes, etc, but I also think there's a whole bunch of ppl sitting at home very ill that should be seeking medical attention but aren't.

It’s dead in my city too, I think the closing of bars and clubs will account for some of the drop in numbers.

In Dublin it is separated into covid and non covid and the non covid section is extremely quiet.

I had to take my husband to A&E yesterday. We arrived about 04:00. There were 2 separate entrances, one a red zone for those with Covid19 symptoms and the other for everyone else. There wasn't a soul in the regular waiting room, but I was asked to wait in the car for obvious reasons. My husband was called through right away and said it was fairly busy, but not as much as the other times he's been there. He was there about 5 hours and couldn't fault the care he received.

I'm pleased that people seem to be avoiding A&E unless it's really necessary and hope that this crisis brings about a long term change in people's behaviour over going to A&E in future.

Suspect covid won’t be near A&E, anyone with a single symptom will be in a separate area but yes massive reduction in A&E attendances. The usual sore back or sniffle bridge are avoiding it

I'm hearing similar things. I am curious about "suspected" covid patients though...what if they don't have covid? Are they mixed together so if they didn't have covid, they are then totally exposed to it anyway?

Just read the reports about the leaked document showing government “suggesting” doctors not to list the virus as a cause of death. Absolutely shocking if true.
leftfootforward.org/2020/04/nhs-trust-leak-suggests-doctors-gently-discouraged-from-listing-all-covid-19-deaths/

@insideout99 yes patients with suspected Covid-19 symptoms, all will be in same area. Bays/side rooms while waiting for assessment and diagnosis. Some will test negative, but the threshold for being taken into hospital with respiratory symptoms is pretty high I think.

All suspected patients should be wearing masks to limit spread to other patients and hcp's.

As patients aren't swabbed/x-rayed until in hospital, and by then very unwell, there's no way of knowing for sure who's definitely positive at first.

Also, on a similar note the Financial Times reports today that the toll in UK care homes from coronavirus may already be 6,000 - but only a few recorded as Covid-related on death certificate.

We were there this morning for dc. Completely empty. Waited 1 minute to be seen!

@Bluebell1995 thanks bluebell. It must be pretty scary for patients but I understand why

A&E's have a red Covid pathway and a green everything else pathway. Anyone with symptoms that could be Covid will be treated in ' red' zone and go to a red ward until chest scan and/ or swab results confirm one way or another if covid. The possibly Covid patients are only 4 to a bay so beds more than 2 m apart. Once confirmed they will moved to 6 bedded bay with other confirmed Covid patients. If not Covid they will be whisked to a green ward. Please go to a&e if you are unwell enough. Do not avoid because of Covid.

My son recently broke his nose. We were in and out in 30 minutes. A consultant greeted us at the door, assessed him, sent him for an X-ray and saw him briefly again. She arranged a follow up appointment and we were sent on our way. It was so strange!

DD was in paediatric A&E about a week ago and was in an out within about an hour, there were two other patients there I think. Suspected covids were in a separate isolated area.

A&E will be a lot quieter because of no football /rugby .... other sports

I visited minor injuries....1 seen as I was going in, then me then one more after me.