To think some things should just be turned away from A&E?

[ifallinlove]

I saw a channel 4 video about a day in a&e during the heatwave.

The first guy seen was a bloke who had decided to walk across hot tarmac to get food while at the beach and now had burns on the bottom of his feet.

He said he had “forgotten to get shoes”. I’m sorry but it’s been 35 degrees for at least two weeks now. There is no way on earth that you “forget” to put shoes on. He made the decision to do it and now sought emergency care.

AIBU to say things like this should be redirected to minor injuries and the appropriate referrals made from there? It’s his own stupidity taking up a bed in a&e!

There are and always have been cases in A/E that don’t need to be there, it’s the triage that needs to improve and the ability to say you need something but not this, the reality though is, if you turn up at a/e you will inevitably be seen at some point

If you think about it, large amounts of NHS resources are used for people who are there through stupidity, risk-taking behaviour, or just failing to look after themselves - e.g people with problems relating to weight, alcohol, drugs etc,, unintended pregnancies, people who do dangerous sports, people who've gone swimming and got into difficulties, people who have ignored obvious symptoms till they became serious, people who just haven't taken sensible precautions for their own safety, If we start putting everyone in those categories into some sort of a low priority category, we'll have a country full of people unable to work because they're waiting for basic health care.

Our hospital has a minor injuries attached to filter this out so it's already happening.

If they need stiches they can go to minor injuries or A and E. Otherwise, they don't ned to be in MIU or ED.

Oh god this was priceless and I’m so glad I was here for it.

Glad I could help. What qualifications do you have? 😂

But the key to all this is the triage. Put that triage at the GP rather than at A&E, because that's the cause of many of these problems, that people can't get the GP appointments in a timely manner, so their only alternative is the hospital route.

From my own experience, minors do not treat self harm as it is mental health related. I was sent to A&E because they have a mental health team there. Minors do not.

To be honest, it’s often the GPs that are sending people to A&E with trivial stuff. My DD had a bad UTI, and was given antibiotics which didn’t clear it. She went to the pharmacy for more antibiotics and they couldn’t prescribe another course. She rang her GP for an appointment and they couldn’t fit her in that day (Friday) so told her to go to A&E. It’s ridiculous.

It’s always, always obvious.

The people who turn up with seven family members and start tucking into a takeaway? They don’t need to be there.

How does eating a takeaway mean they do not need to be there?
Not everyone in A&E is nauseous.

People admitted on the wards also order and eat takeaways. Does that also mean they should not be there?

I would have happily munched on a take away yesterday after being sent in to a&e by my GP. I had to make do with DH dropping off some sandwiches. I sat quietly and read my book etc

I was admitted to high observation ward and am still here waiting for various test results. Still happily eating meals. People are in a and e for all sorts of different reasons, not all of them are going to mean they don't feel like eating

Ridiculous statement, utterly ignorant

So, clearly an expert in ED triage and treatment

That was in response to @PUGMEISTER21 btw

I agree, but I’d also argue that my DD didn’t need to be there (and wait 13 hours) if the GP, or even a nurse at the surgery could’ve quickly dipped her sample and sent a prescription over to the pharmacy.

This.

The last 2 occasions DS 14 was in A&E it didn't affect his appetite. The second time I was getting him ready meals from the machine.

If they need to wait for hours, why wouldn't they eat if they feel able to? Not everyone in A&E feels sick and has no appetite.

This too.

Deliveroo, JustEat etc were always at the entrance of the hospital when my son was admitted. Hospital food is disgusting and ill people still have to eat!

If you can eat, sit there chatting and make it a family day out, you should not be there. Simple as.

If you cam sit and judge those around you maybe you shouldn't be there

Yet that's exactly what my son did. More chatting than eating to be fair.

He had cancer. He absolutely belonged there.

Thankfully they don't triage at A&E via what someone looks like, if they can talk and if they can eat because my son would be dead if that was the case.

It's not 'simple as' at all. People need to eat! People need to bring children, cannot organise childcare in an emergency. Another ridiculous, judgemental statement

If you have the headspace to look at and judge other patients, then you should not be there either.
If you are on MN whilst waiting, then you should be thrown out. Total timewaster