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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I'm so fucking sick of a and e wait times

553 replies

cutrtain · 17/12/2023 21:30

As a working mother to a toddler in nursery, I'm just fucking done with how long it takes to get help in a and e for my child.

It's starting to make me not want to go, in situations that I would have maybe gone in the past.

I'm absolutely exhausted. It's always 3/4 hours wait, at least.

I'm just so done with it. It's a disgrace.

OP posts:
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9
PepsiCoco · 17/12/2023 22:00

Wow what the hell happened to mumsnet. Usually you get jumped on for not going to A&E if you query any medical condition!

EndOfMyTether11 · 17/12/2023 22:00

AllAroundMyCat · 17/12/2023 21:59

Blood in poo , wait a couple of days.

Very bight temperature, wait a couple of days and use Calpol or other infant suspensions.

Fever... Infant suspension and wait and see.

D&V ... fluids then wait and see.

A&E is not your first port of call. Neither is your GP.

This.

Terrrence · 17/12/2023 22:00

I haven't been to a and e in 30 years. Your OP reads as though you are there often. It may be people using it regularly for non emergencies which is causing the queues amber wait times.

Krustykrabpizza · 17/12/2023 22:00

What has been the outcome of the high fevers or constipation when you go to a and e? I've been once with DD in 5 and a half years. Obviously going to a and e that much will be tedious but going that much in the first place is extreme.

meatbaseddessert · 17/12/2023 22:00

How often are you going that you are sick of them? Your post implies you are there quite frequently. More people = longer wait times

KnittedCardi · 17/12/2023 22:00

Sorry OP, but going so many times IS a bit odd. Most people never go. Some people go a couple of times in their lives. Honestly not a badge of honour, but DD1 only been twice (26 now) for febrile fit with stopped breathing, and once for suspected broken wrist, and DD2 (21), once having been run over by a car!

Never called 111 in my life either. Never needed to.

Normal day to day fevers, constipation, etc, should be seen at GP first.

wdc2024 · 17/12/2023 22:00

Also what is this, a competition of who has taken their dc to A&E the least amount of times? Stop comparing your kids with others Confused

HMW1906 · 17/12/2023 22:01

cutrtain · 17/12/2023 21:36

@Whattodonexts always try and see out of hours GP first, but they fairly often send us to a and e.

When it's the middle of the night obviously can't use out of hours GP.

OOH GP appointments are available all night (hence the name ‘out of hours’), phone 111 to access them.

Littlegoth · 17/12/2023 22:01

I think it is partly postcode lottery. We were regulars at a small North Yorks hospital. 11 A&E visits in 12 months, 5 resulted in admission, 3 of these turned into an overnight stay, 2 more resulted in specialist referral. All except 1 visit were in and out in under 2 hours, one was 4 hours but it turned out they’d incorrectly filed toddler as an adult.

Just had my 3rd A&E visit in as many months (but between 2 kids this time) in a north west hospital - again in, treated and back out in 2 hours. I have to drive 25 minutes to get to our local children’s A&E. I’ve taken the kids to the closer walk in centre and been directed to the main hospital as a precaution, and if they don’t want to take any risks then neither do I.

It’s awful when you have to wait so long and then go to work - I know where you are coming from. I don’t think you are mithering - breathing issues need to go to A&E. 111 will send a temperature that doesn’t come down to A&E. Babies tend to be sent to A&E. my toddler is finally growing out of the emergencies but the baby is picking up the slack. Hope it gets easier x

SettlingIn · 17/12/2023 22:01

I don’t understand OP ? You say you go for things like trouble breathing?? When my dd has had trouble breathing we’ve been taken through immediately even if the waiting room is absolutely full? If a child can’t breathe it’s the highest priority- a 3/4 hr wait would be potentially fatal?

IsThisOneAvailable · 17/12/2023 22:01

Deathbyfluffy · 17/12/2023 21:54

Looking forward to Labour getting in and absolutely nothing changing.

Show quote history

I think it's probably a little late now. It's pretty much irreparable.

Hopefully, when it is gone/completely unfit for purpose, people will remember it wasn't under Labour that the damage was done

cadburyegg · 17/12/2023 22:02

Some of these replies are really unhelpful. Twice in the last 6 weeks my ds5 has fallen over and needed a wound gluing. First time I went to a minor injuries unit, second time it was 8pm so we had to go wait in A&E. the A&E wait was really long, but I expected it because it wasn't a dire emergency. Doesn't make it less crap though. YANBU. Sometimes these things happen out of hours and there is nowhere else to go.

NotSorryForTheReality · 17/12/2023 22:02

cutrtain · 17/12/2023 21:51

Why ? I'm just telling you the reasons why medical professionals have told me to go to a and e ?

What did you want me to do, say that you're right and I am a time waster ? I don't understand your post at all.

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No and I want to be I don’t know the ins and outs, however, how many times have you presented this year? (as many others have asked and you don’t seem to want to answer).

If it’s more than a couple of times with no life long or life threatening illness there’s a very high chance you should be put down a different pathway…again not saying the fault lies with you it could be the GP. However, if it’s totally different things every time there’s a high probability you are going to A&E when A&E is not required, the wait time. A&E isn’t a first come first serve you are seen in order of urgency

Pixiedust138 · 17/12/2023 22:02

I went this week with my 20 month old. He had a non balancing rash and we were sent there by walk in centre GP for bloods. I got there at 12pm, we were there until 3am. They didn’t do the bloods until midnight.

Soontobe60 · 17/12/2023 22:02

underneaththeash · 17/12/2023 21:39

I suspect you’re going too much then.
I’ve three children and we’ve only been 5 times with all of them. they’re now 18,16 and 12.

two broken bones, one pneumonia, a glued head, an ear infection during covid.

it’s accident or emergency. If it’s neither you shouldn’t go and should contact your GP or 111.

My children are 30 and 39. Each has been in twice - for broken arm and stitches. My grandchildren are 14, 5 and 3. The younger two have both been sent to hospital via GP for severe chest infection requiring a nebuliser, and severely infected chicken pox. The older one once for stitches.
I’m 64 and have never been to A+E

Original poster
cutrtain · 17/12/2023 22:02

I was there last month after the fevers wouldn't go down from over 40 and after medicine and after ringing 111 - they said I need to go- it was very late and night.

I was posting here and literally everyone was saying to go- I did not want to go. I went reluctantly. I was worried because the fever really was very very stubborn and didn't budge. Fast breathing of and grunting was also happening.

OP posts:
Lochroy · 17/12/2023 22:03

It's people going to A&E who don't need to be there who are causing the long waits for the actual emergencies.

Yummymummy2020 · 17/12/2023 22:03

I think even quite serious issues are being left waiting in a and e. I was seen quickly (within ten minutes) for a heart issue but in the few minutes I waited to check in, I saw some people in a pretty bad way in the waiting room. Of course you don’t know by looking at someone for sure especially an unqualified person like me, but for example there was a man with a mangled leg clearly in a lot of pain, definitely well justified being there by the look of him and apparently he was still sitting waiting many hours later when one of my family members was leaving. But op I fully agree with you, the a and e departments are in a shambles. I got lucky! High fevers that won’t come down and breathing issues are definitely an emergency though that you would be sent to a and e for with a child. And severe constipation can be dodgy too, presumably why the gp would send the op and her child to be reviewed. It’s a shame the services are struggling so much because both the staff and patients suffer!

ElderMillenials · 17/12/2023 22:04

111 and GPs farming so many to a&e is a factor in wait times and cause so much extra stress to us as patients thinking the worst.

It's frustrating, if it's happening so often it's an issue I'd be asking for a referral to find out if there is an underlying cause or taking preventative steps for something like repeat constipation. Fully appreciate how stressful and worrying that is with a little one!

IME a&e do treat emergencies quickly. I attended on a busy Friday night with possible broken bone, in and out in an hour including x-rays. DH was blue lighted and was seen straight away, treatment administered and admitted to a ward in under 4 hours (very grateful as 10 minutes more waiting and he'd be dead!). Generally a longer wait means someone else was worse off.

thaisweetchill · 17/12/2023 22:04

Just to add to this, I phoned 111 at 11am as I suspect my son has measles (thankfully ok in himself but a rash all over his body), I have only just received a call back but wasn't a clinician, it was just a holding call to say I am still in the queue but there's a big back log of calls. Thankfully he is ok and I will wait until the morning but I can't imagine what A&E would be like! I will phone the doctor in the morning and thankfully they are a very good practice and always get seen the same day.

I've never had this problem with 111 before, I honestly thought there was an issue with the system and I'd been forgotten about.

bryceQ · 17/12/2023 22:04

Some people get ill more frequently than others! I don't know why everyone is piling on the OP.

I've taken my son to a&e four times he is 5. Each time I was sent there by 111 or the GP. I was told he needed to be treated there.

And i agree the waiting is horrendously long.

RatatouillePie · 17/12/2023 22:04

cutrtain · 17/12/2023 21:55

No not the receptionist.

It's the GP or 111.

Show quote history

The GP has to tell you that as if it actually turned out to be something serious they could be sued!! They're covering their backsides.

So you go to A&E because you're told to and if A&E decide its not life and death then you have to wait. That's sensible.

A 40 degree temp is not life and death. I'd stay at home and keep an eye on them all night and if things worsened I'd take them in.

3 kids (13, 8 and 8). A&E never. Minor injuries x 3 (2 dislocations and a split open head).

alltoomuchrightnow · 17/12/2023 22:05

my last wait was 9 hours , I'd be fine with 3 or 4, I think that's reasonable, we are lucky to have the NHS and not pay, on its knees though it is

oneflewoverthe · 17/12/2023 22:05

I've been to a&e with my 3 year old once. He gets ill quite often too. That was due to croup and trouble breathing. It's clogged up with people going in for minor issues that a GP can sort. If your GP is telling you to go to a&e all the time I'd suggest changing doctor's surgery

gotomomo · 17/12/2023 22:06

Look for your nearest walk in / out of hours gp. Often they are based close to hospitals but are far quicker to be scene. Ours is open 6pm - 8am