NHS what’s going on? Everything closed? Nothing in the news?

[dealbreaker555]

Went to walk in - closed - sign up saying they’re looking after sick people and too busy.

called 111 and told they would get a gp call back then get a text saying their too busy and call ambulance if needed!

what is going on, can’t find anything on news?

Not sure why it would be on the news that your local walk-in centre is closed.

What area of the country are you in?

Years of underfunding, poor top heavy management structures, and a general public who dont know what theyve got til it's gone. Nothing specific, but exactly what we all need to be getting ready for to be our norm.

I hope you're okay. Do you need seeing urgently or can it wait until Monday? Pharmacy?

Busier than usual Saturday night mayhem probably

The start of the annual winter pressure on the system I guess.
i phoned my GP on Friday morning at 8.15am and was seen at 10.30am so our area seems ok for now.

It was a Saturday night last night. People get drunk and cause various accidents on various scales and so treatment centres do get overwhelmed. What's the problem? Can Dr Google help?

I'm guessing it's the American variety of covid. It's been in all the national newspapers this week about how it's pushing up the hospital stats.

Systems are stretched, at the moment it’s peak back to school bug time so that will probably lead to even more people needing out of hours services.

whats the issue? I went to my chemist on Monday and was in and out with antibiotics in half an hour. I think many people don’t realise the pharmacy first service is there.

Try local Facebook groups. They might give more information.

No one here can tell you as it's a local service so people can't give an accurate explanation.

It sounds like it's service pressures. The walk in is at capacity & they know if they let any more in they won't be seen before the time they close. Ours does that as it's worse waiting several hours & then told to go home at closing time.

The NHS 111 problem also sounds like service pressures & is like that the majority of the time in my area.

Our local a&e experienced it's busiest day ever last week which gives an indication of the demand being placed on a&e

I think your best option is to see if there are any alternatives to a&e. Can it wait until your GP is open on Monday, try the walk in first thing when it opens in the morning, self care advice/pharmacy etc.

If it gets worse call back 111 for another assessment or 999 if a life or death emergency

I think many people don’t realise the pharmacy first service is there.

None of my pharmacies do this, and even tell you to go to GP for an eczema rash. That's six different pharmacies. None have signed up to it.

This certainly is the most likely explanation. Covid is certainly back.

Pharmacies won't touch people with complex needs, serious illness or multiple health problems & re-direct you to a&e

It works for some people but don't assume that your experience will be the same for others

That’s why I asked what the issue is as it may be an option. I know it is only there for limited things but if those who can use it are able to access it it removes a bit of pressure on other services and means those people can get seen.

Covid. Anecdotally it’s on the rise. So many people I know have it-and feel very ill with it-in fact probably more simultaneously than I knew with it during the Pandemic. Which does make you wonder what lockdown was for in the first place if 6 years later no one gives a stuff. We had to run a reduced service at my work last week as so many of the staff were off and we work with vulnerable adults some of whom need 2-1 staffing. Some people have tested, most haven’t bothered, but all had the same symptoms so we can assume it’s that.

My toddler was sick this was all from 5pm so not really peak drunk time!

I'm guessing it was close to their closing time.

They close early if they know people arriving won't be seen before they close.

Try again this morning if it's still urgent

Several minor injury units in my area seem to close frequently. This is usually advertised in advance on social media so I can only presume it's due to lack of staff.
We are getting towards flu/COVID season so hospitals are busy with that. I guess sports fixtures on a Saturday may increase injuries and therefore more people visiting A&E.

Some things are getting better: I got a same day appt with a nurse practitioner this week for an infection and was home will treatment before lunchtime

Soem things are getting worse: management structures are pushing targets which are not necessarily what is actually needed. My small area of work has lost 2 experienced clinicians and gained 2 managers...(who want us to do the extra work but that's another thread)

Wider targets and plans from the commissioning boards don't work on ground level.

People are living longer and with more serious conditions (I'm not suggesting they shouldn't). This extra demand for healthcare is not covered (financially, structurally or staffing-wise) so services are stretched beyond capacity.

Due to all the above staff are leaving and becoming burnt out.

I dont have the answers. I hope Andy does...

It's not " in the news" because it's not news...

Without being too outing, it’s a big hospital walk in, serves a big area. I would have expected them to post on their website, or on local Facebook pages or something but nothing at all- seems really strange to go and it’s all locked up with a sign outside.

Then 111 too, it was just weird. Wasn’t sure if it was nationwide or wider than my area and know a lot of others on here work for NHS, I feel if there is so much pressure on NHS they’re sending generic texts saying call an ambulance if needed when they said a GP would call back that you’d think that would make BBC news in some format.

Luckily, my toddler improved in the night so we’re fine, but blanket advice to just go to A and E or call an ambulance if needed also seemed poorly thought out.

It’s a busy time of year. Seasonal illnesses start. Covid, flu and all the ‘coughs and colds’ that can make some people really unwell,

The weather doesn’t help, wet, warm, then cold and windy etc. It can exacerbate some chronic illnesses.

Also to note, are you sure it's a walk in still? Ours has changed to ringing to make an appointment first.
Though I believe it says people can still walk in, but won't necessarily be seen quicker as the same appointment system will apply.

Flu has started early this year, hospitalisations increasing week on week, add Covid too - gonna be another great winter for the NHS and all those poor people stuck for hours in A&E. Get your vaccinations people!

Take your child straight to A&E in future. Our experience shows that is the best way forward.

One of ours had croup. It was a Sunday afternoon so we had no choice but to take him to Alder Hey as the walk-in was closed. Alder Hey staff told us if we had gone there on a different day the staff would have sent us to Alder Hey as the walk-in staff did not give the steroid drops.

Another time we took his brother to the walk-in on a Friday evening when he’d got a bad splinter that was completely under the skin. Two nurses had a go and failed to get it all out. They put numbing cream on and told us to take him to Alder Hey the next morning, where a nurse distracted him with bubbles and a doctor whipped it out in about thirty seconds.

After that we just went to straight to Alder Hey if the GP was closed.

Communications teams that post things like that mainly work monday to friday. if they are that busy they’ve closed to more patients they won’t have time to post on social media and staff on the floor doubtfully have access to it.