To wonder why was the hospital empty today?

[SpicyEnchiladas]

Can someone please explain this if they knew. We live in one of the highest areas of cases of covid in the north west, and are constantly told by the local papers about our hospitals not coping at all!

So my friend had a car accident on boxing day and although she wasn't visibly injured, she was taken to the hospital to check that she's fine as she was very shaken after that. She dreaded going with the medics and avoided going to the hospital for the fear of long queues and catching Covid! She was seen after 10 minutes, had her x-rays taken, two consultants checked on her and was done within an hour!! When she came back home she said that they were only a few patients inside and it all went smoothly. Much better than her experience in hospitals before Covid.

Today, I had to drop my mum off to the A&E for severe pain in head and ears. She was fainting and couldn't even walk but they didn't let me in with her as per the guidelines. TBH what's what we expected anyway. I left her after the nurse reassured me that they will keep a close eye on her in case if she faints again in the waiting area. I left and before getting in my car, I received a call asking me to return to the hospital as she will be transferred to the ambulatory care immediately. They said that it's fine to have me with her to provide company and reassurance as it's likely that she'll be there for a few hours.

We stayed for nearly 4 hours, during that time I've been in and out of the department to use the phone, move my car from the drop off area, go to the pharmacy... it was nearly empty!! Only a few nurses insight. I was actually a bit scared whilst walking to the hospital's pharmacy as it was all dark all the way. Very quiet and unusual!! There were 5 people in the ambulatory care and plenty of empty beds and patient rooms.
I noticed the same whilst passing other departments.

I'm not doubting that Covid is indeed straining the nhs, but can someone explain why was the hospital not busy and nearly empty on both occasions despite us being constantly told that a&e isn't coping in our town?

I'm just finishing a 12.5 hour shift. I can assure you my hospital is NOT empty.
You can't know what was going on in resus / majors / itu.

Torvean31

Someone upthread posted this text that they'd received from their GP which isn't saying quite what Xenia claims.

I received a similar text from my GP "NHS England have advised that all non-essential work to be stopped to allow General Practice to cope with the overwhelming demand relating to Covid-19. This means we are open for any acute deterioration in long term conditions and any new symptoms indicating potentially serious disease"

@Onedropbeat

I didnt say a A&E where a non covid parient goes did i

My
Nan
Uncle
Brother
Brothers both pils

ALL went to the COVID RED A&E

As i SAID....
The Hospitals i know of and these people have been in, are split into two....
Green - Non Covid and Red - Covid!!!!

Because they have separate areas for COVID and non COVID. Also minirs/majirs etc

Op PM me your address, i will come pick you up, and my wife will take you into work on her 12 and half hour night shift in itu, where you cant take ppe off, and while she is on one of her rare breaks(her trust owe her 200 hours worth of money because of missed breaks) she will take you round the covid wards!

You really are a fucking idiot

@chrisinarosetti
Not a very nice person is she? I don’t know how she sleeps at night but if it helps the tight xxx, my DGC is privately educated, so she gets a bit of her sodding tax back there- and I hope it chokes her!

@Xenia I could have written your post!

@Bookriddle Why is OP an ‘idiot’ for asking why hospitals are empty?
You sound unhinged.

Hospitals aren’t empty - there are just systems in place to separate Covid and non Covid patients. I had an out patients appointment in December, I was the only one in the waiting room to prevent you coming into contact with other patients. It made the hospital look quiet but in reality they were working through the full appointment list in a safe way.

[quote FreshFreesias]@Bookriddle Why is OP an ‘idiot’ for asking why hospitals are empty?
You sound unhinged.[/quote]
Because it is disingenuous and a clumsy attempt to discredit the current crisis in the NHS.

[quote FreshFreesias]@Bookriddle Why is OP an ‘idiot’ for asking why hospitals are empty?
You sound unhinged.[/quote]
I sound unhinged? No im fed up with idiots thinking hospitals are empty and covid is a hoax!

Im fed up with watching my wife and her colleagues being pushed to the brink of mental and physical exhaustion after everyshift, my wife has been a nurse for 8 years, she dealt with more death in 2 weeks than she has in the past 8 years!

OP why do you bother pedalling this fake news Y why do people take the bait?

My daughter has been having regular appointments in the paediatric day unit at our local hospital. Every time we go, we're stopped on the door to check we have a legitimate reason to be there. I'm allowed with her because she's a child. Nobody else is allowed to take people in with them. We arrive, we go straight to clinic, and we come away. There are not loads of random visitors wandering around, everyone is in a clinic or ward. That's why it looks quiet.

And on the subject of paying for it. She was diagnosed 6 months ago with a very rare illness for which the treatment annually costs more than 3 times what DH and I jointly earn. If we had to pay privately we would be bankrupt already. The NHS is keeping her alive and I will sing its praises from the heavens forever. What would you do if you had just opted out and then got this kind of diagnosis? It would need to be one heck of a salary if a 20% tax cut could cover these kinds of costs.

I never seem to get ill so no problems opting out if that were a choice.

Should you ever venture out of London, you'll find there is no private emergency healthcare service. Should you have a heart attack/ stroke/ ruptured ectopic pregnancy, you can either use the NHS, or you can find your way back to London. Which is it?

None of us have a crystal ball as to what our health might be like next week, next month or next year. No one thinks or plans that they will get ill and therefore need the help and support of the NHS.

twitter.com/gmb/status/1345369253214445568?s=21

Bleak view from health care professional