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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

A&E time wasters.

248 replies

ConfusedMumma99 · 20/12/2022 19:47

I don’t know if I’m just thinking like this because I’ve not been in a situation. But are people genuinely being ridiculous for the reasons of going to A&E

a friend took her son (20 months) to a&e because he got a temperature of 38.8. By the time the nurse took it at a&e it was normal and she said it was because she’d given him Calpol??????? She then said he was running round the waiting room eating snacks.

am i a cow???? Or why would use a&e for this? I appreciate lots in the news about strep A. But surely you would wait and see if temp came down with Calpol/nurofen? That’s what I’d do with my child.

however I am a first time mum so im worried I should take illness more seriously? Do you really need a hospital visit just for a temperature?

our local A&E had wait times of 14 hours the other day??? Is this a combo of lack of
staff or people going unnecessarily.

I know GP’s are notoriously bad for appointments?

how are people seen in A&E? By time spent or by severity?? It seems scary that if you actually needed a&e that you might not get seen.

OP posts:

Notanotherusername4321 · 20/12/2022 19:51

Media panic.

instead of staying at home with calpol and fluids, every sore throat is suspected strep A and people go chasing around for antibiotics because they have been scared stiff about iGAS in the news.

understandable, but it’s overwhelming GP’s and hospitals. There really should have been better guidance.

Whowhatwherewhenwhynow · 20/12/2022 19:51

my son was poorly last week, could not get through to 111, online 111 said call 111 and GP couldn’t offer anything. He got worse and there was a point that I thought I’d need to decide between doing nothing or A and E.

I don’t think people are ridiculous. I think the system is absolutely falling apart so people go to A and E as other routes are t available.

its scary

TheRookieMum · 20/12/2022 19:52

I assume there were other factors than temperature for your friend's 20 month as that doesn't sound enough for an A&E visit to me.

A&E patients are seen by medical severity, not time waiting, it's not a shop.

From one FTM to another, yes temperature alone is enough for concern & to seek help, but only in certain situations: www.nhs.uk/conditions/fever-in-children/.

Whywhywhywhy3 · 20/12/2022 19:54

It's the system failing that's the problem. People go to A&E because they can't get any other healthcare and they are scared. When neither your GP or 111 are able to help you, what do you do?

People are triaged when they arrive at A&E, so those who are extremely urgent (for example serious injuries from car accident) won't be waiting 14 hours. But unfortunately due to lack of staff/beds/funding, even fairly serious cases like heart attacks and strokes are waiting too long now too.

It's scary and I don't think we can blame the general public for this.

MrsMorton · 20/12/2022 19:55

People aren't ridiculous, they are scared. That's not irrational given brexit, strep A, nurses strikes, GP underfunding.

Nevermind31 · 20/12/2022 19:56

I can’t imagine anyone going to a&e for fun - they will have concerns.

upfucked · 20/12/2022 19:57

You’re right. The NHS has really helpful webpages on things like high temperature. Was your friend panicking over Strep A? I don’t think the NHS has been clear about that.

BonnieBairn · 20/12/2022 19:58

@Whowhatwherewhenwhynow I think that's the answer, fear.

It's so hard to see a GP these days for routine appointment and standard emergency appointments so people naturally seek out the next best alternative. When children are involved it's very hard to determine an emergency as all you can go by is a visual, not like yourself when you can feel what is wrong.

I will add it it worth people looking at what their local pharmacy can offer. My partner had an infected finger and the pharmacist prescribed 5days of antibiotics. I only know they could do this as I was a pharmacy technician and keep up to date with practice. There needs to be more of a public campaign of what is actually available.

123boom · 20/12/2022 19:59

It can be a really hard decision to make when you’re faced with an ill child. I don’t think most people would ever go to A&E unless they had genuine, serious concerns. I would just believe that your friend did this with genuine reason

EmmaAgain22 · 20/12/2022 20:00

OP "how are people seen in A&E? By time spent or by severity?? It seems scary that if you actually needed a&e that you might not get seen."

by severity.

if it's just a temperature, and only that, no one needs A&E.

HundredMilesAnHour · 20/12/2022 20:00

Even pre-Strep A there were plenty of parents who waste A&E's time. A doctor friend works in a well known children's A&E and is regularly appalled by parents bringing their children in because they have stomach ache and feel sick. Then it turns out the children have been eating cake and sweets all day. I wish I was joking but unfortunately not.

ChristmasCaroline · 20/12/2022 20:01

EmmaAgain22 · 20/12/2022 20:00

OP "how are people seen in A&E? By time spent or by severity?? It seems scary that if you actually needed a&e that you might not get seen."

by severity.

if it's just a temperature, and only that, no one needs A&E.

Hi: are you a medical professional?

NewBootsAndRanty · 20/12/2022 20:01

how are people seen in A&E? By time spent or by severity?
By severity - why on earth would you think otherwise?

NewBootsAndRanty · 20/12/2022 20:01

how are people seen in A&E? By time spent or by severity?
By severity - why on earth would you think otherwise?

DontFeatureMeOnSocialMedia · 20/12/2022 20:01

It's so tricky with kids because they can be flaked out one minute and running around the next!

My 10 year has got a flu like virus. Yesterday morning he had a temperature of 39 and was complaining of a sore throat, headache etc. But well enough to watch TV. By lunch time he was absolutely fine. You just never know!

bigbluebus · 20/12/2022 20:02

Lack of availability of the appropriate services.

Media frenzy over Strep A (which had a high ish death rate in 2018/19 and we didn't hear anything about it then)

People have lost the skills and confidence to treat minor illnesses at home and are no longer willing to watch and wait.

Years ago, Friday late afternoon/evening was peak time for people ringing their GP about a sick child as they were worried about not being able to speak to anyone over the weekend if their child's condition worsened. Now they know they won't be able to speak to anyone whatever day so just head for a&e.

Fireflygal · 20/12/2022 20:03

People aren't ridiculous, they are scared

I would add, they also lack input from family/friends who could advise. A baby/toddler will have up to 8 viruses a year. You can treat each of those as emergency.

I know it's scary but previous generations of parents had to self triage, such as is the child eating, drinking, wet nappies, does temperature respond to capol, are they responsive, is there a rash and avoiding lights etc.

Iam4eels · 20/12/2022 20:03

I think people in waiting rooms have raised an eyebrow at me in A&E with my DC with a temperature but they have a defective kidney and any suspicion of UTI needs urgent investigation so if the GP is shut, that's where we go. Usually we get triaged, short wait in A&E, then bumped to assessment suite.

At our nearest A&E they have the emergency department, an out of hours GP service (appointment only), and an urgent care/walk-in centre. At the arrival desk you get triaged into whichever service is best suited to whatever you're presenting with. So you might get given an appointment to come back and see the GP if its a pressing but not immediately urgent issue, you might get sent to the walk-in if its urgent (usually for cuts, sprains, minor breaks, urgent illness), or sent to emergency if its an emergency, I've also heard people in front of me being directed to the local pharmacy, dental service, or being told to contact their own GP.

Kendodd · 20/12/2022 20:03

Yabu op
I don't think they have this 'must not bother the doctor' attitude in other countries, perhaps that's why we have such poor cancer survival.
I had a Ukrainian family staying with me recently, you get sick in Ukraine, you go to the doctor (or the doctor comes to you). They were shocked, and I was ashamed, at how difficult it is to get healthcare in the UK. I don't think they even know about dentistry yet.

Tanfastic · 20/12/2022 20:03

I don't think anyone (with half a brain) is making the decision to go to A&E lightly at the minute. I work for the NHS and most of the patients I speak to want to avoid it like the plague even with the most serious symptoms. It's a really sad situation.

So unless this woman is utterly stupid, for me, she must have had a very real concern to be there.

Purplechicken207 · 20/12/2022 20:04

We followed the NHS online advice, but toddler was acting hysterical at times alongside fever up and down for a couple of days over a weekend. Called 111 (took about 2 hours to get through 🥴) and they said she warranted urgent care visit that day. They were useless and after hanging around sent us to paediatric a&e. By which time her temp was back up big time and she was screaming. Waited a few more hours, sent home with antibiotics. I don't think I'd necessarily have gone to a&e without being told to, because she had briefly got a little better and calpol was keeping temp borderline ish. But she was so out of character.
Grateful for the NHS but wow it was a long and hard day (I'm ill too, ooh Dr had done phone consultation with me and sent antibiotics far quicker than the little one got seen 😔)

BeyondMyWits · 20/12/2022 20:06

But doctors are also sending people to a and e. I had a bit of a heart issue... have had a heart attack in the past and this was not like that. What I needed was a referral to cardiology to review my medication and tweak it a bit. But doc sent me to a and e with the umbrella of "chest pain". So frustrating. It was...as I already thought... a complete waste of time. (9 hours, 2 blood tests, x Ray, ecg) and sent back to gp to refer me onwards - WHICH IS WHAT I WENT THERE FOR in the first place.

MadameDe · 20/12/2022 20:06

Every time I've needed A&E properly, I've been seen quickly. The only time we weren't was when my son had a fracture and we had to waiti
for 3 hours. It was one of the worst 3 hours of my life.

ILoveeCakes · 20/12/2022 20:08

Nevermind31 · 20/12/2022 19:56

I can’t imagine anyone going to a&e for fun - they will have concerns.

Yes, of course they have concerns. The point is that some people are needlessly hysterical

Notjusta · 20/12/2022 20:09

YANBU - we seem to have totally forgotten how to cope with relative mild illnesses. Childhood illnesses involving a temperature of 38ish is completely normal and common and most children will recover within 5 -7 days.

When my eldest was little (really not that long ago - he's 14) I wouldn't even have bothered the GP for a temp of 38 unless it really wasn't responding to meds after a couple of days and/or he seemed really ill.

Agree with PP about checking the NHS traffic light guidelines.

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