72 hours spent in A and E so far

[Penguinparty88]

Dad really deteriorated on Saturday we called ambulance and waited 8 hours for ambulance, they then were queuing to get people in from ambulance, we have since spent 72 hours so far in A and E, dad has liver failure and white/ red blood cells not working with bone marrow failure. Treated for sepsis he's on antibiotic drip and isn't well. Was put in a side room in A and Evto avoid risk of catching anything because his system won't be able to fight it and the staff have been trying to find a side room bed on a ward ever since - so far it's been 72 hours ... am I over reacting or is this ridiculous? How long really can they keep him here so far there have been 4 people in the rooms next door with severe mental health issue a schizophrenic shouting for hours and hours racial abuse and about killing children - my dad has early onset dementia all it's all very distressing for him!

Just venting I know the NHS are stretched it's just so sad to see him like this!

Dont wait to be told keep badgering them constantly for an update.

That sounds tough but sadly not at all surprising. Fingers crossed he is seen too soon.

Oh wow OP you must be so worried, I dont have any advice other than to support you in your comments.
The NHS is broken beyond belief and ive no idea how or when it will ever be fixed.
I hope your dad gets the treatment he deserves soon 💐

I had to take my DS to A&E got seen immediately within 3 minutes of arriving in an ambulance - Dr was on the ball and ordered CT and xrays immediately. The porter came within 5 mins but couldnt take him for the CT as needed someone to help transfer him to another type of trolly.

We sat in a cubicle waiting for 3 hours. Dr walked by asked the nurse if we had been for scans she had forgot to order another person to get him transferred. Dr went ballistic. We then waited another hour for someone to come and help move him.

Just keep asking and asking incase it's been forgotten

So he’s not on a ward yet? It’s horrendous, the lack of beds is because of the lack of community care meaning patients can’t be safely discharged. The fact that your dad needs a single room makes it a bit trickier too. But 72 hours in A&E is awful.
Is he under a consultant? Who is reviewing him? I would be worried about his medical care, is there a treatment plan?

Oh how awful for you all.

Have people been in/out and gave updates?

Sometimes you need to keep asking.

Yesterday at one of the busiest EDs in the Uk, they had 52 patients waiting for beds in ED, minors urgent care and peads. The whole hospital had no beds left. Ambulances stacked up outside with more patients on trolleys, and having to take patients for CTs/X-ray whilst still waiting.

They know you are there. There is likely no space.

I am so sorry for your poor dad, no dignity or comfort. You can of course keep asking. We literally have no beds it's dire and as someone else said a side room makes it tougher. The bed manager will be aware sadly it's a waiting game. I hope he gets to a ward soon. Very stressful for you, look after yourself to.

@Penguinparty88 how's your Dad???

I’m sorry OP, this sounds like hell on earth. How worrying and upsetting.

The NHS on the whole is not fit for purpose. The more I read and hear, the more I want to take back those fucking hours of stood clapping like a total dick.

It of course has pockets of wonderful people but as an organisation - dire.

Keep making noise, keep asking. Sending best wishes for your dad

That’s pretty awful. Poor man 😞
My dm goes to hospital quite a lot as she has a cancerous lesion on her lung and she ends up with breathing problems. She ends up in her own room as she too would be unwell if she caught anything. She gets a room quite quickly.
Try to press on and put some pressure on. He who shouts loudest…

The nhs as a whole does indeed need an overhaul. But it needs to start in the community - as pp said the capacity for care packages and available community beds is dire - there are so many patients waiting months in an acute hospital setting just waiting for this availability- they have no medical need just social.
once that’s sorted the flow through the hospital will hopefully be better.
needing a side room is an additional difficulty as there just are not enough available.
I promise you op that your dad will be on a list of patients needing a bed, it’s just a very very long list. And within the hospital there will be bed managers challenging clinical decisions left right and centre, day and night, to place a&e patients onto wards.
its very tough. Are you able to be with him? Are you able to swap over with anyone so you get some rest too?

Thank you all for your messages he moved to a bed yesterday on a ward and they can now start looking into what's going on! It's just so sad how the NHS is so broken and I sat for most of those 72 hours waiting wishing there was something I could do but it's just so broken and overstretched and the staff are brilliant but the system unfortunately is not. Just hoping now dad can recover from this.

I hope hes now getting looked after OP 💐

Googlecan'thelpmeI was clapping for staff working long hours in suffocating PPE .
I direct my ire at whichever group of politicians were/are responsible for the social care system we have .Undervalued and underpaid care staff ,local authorities forced to give contracts to the agency that bids the lowest and investors who see care homes as cash cows .

Glad he's settled OP x

This × 100! The blame does not generally lie with the frontline staff.