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Telly addicts

The Hospital

199 replies

LadyOfScoffleTheEasterEggs · 07/04/2009 21:29

Anyone watching?

I cannot believe they just ODed that girl!

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brimfull · 07/04/2009 22:30

20 yrs ago I worked in A&E and there were loads of drunk teens and overdoses at the weekend

LadyOfScoffleTheEasterEggs · 07/04/2009 22:34

I know... I love a drink as much as the next person, but found out quickly my limits. Being drunk is not fun. I have been drunk twice ('accidently' - hit me like a ton of bricks a while later!) and never again. I don't understand it... you can't dance and how can they think they will meet a nice bloke (if that's one of the reasons to go out)? It must be like morning sickness every night!

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ScummyMummy · 07/04/2009 22:34

A&Es in big cities have been over-crowded and populated partly by the drunken on weekend nights for many years. Throughout my lifetime, at least.

Simplysally · 07/04/2009 22:37

I thought the doctor was very judgemental - I can remember sitting in A&E 18/19 years ago (various relations being admitted with chronic conditions that had decided to come out and play at 3am) and it wasn't wheelchair races and cucumber sandwiches. More like staff working flat out.

I daresay things have got worse with 24-hr drinking thrown into the mix though.

expatinscotland · 07/04/2009 22:42

Oh, I regularly drank a bottle of wine every night during the week and 2-3 bottles on Fridays and Saturdays.

I think the difference was that I was living in the US when this was going on and everyone was very well aware that you WILL get in serious trouble with the law for being publicly intoxicated. If you attack medical staff you will likely also get into big trouble with the law.

If you get into a fight there's a liklihood the other person will be armed with a gun.

It can be really hard to get hold of drink if you're under 21 because you can be prosecuted if found in possession of it and possibly go to jail for supplying it.

Not saying that's better, just that it was a bit of a shock seeing so much open drunkenness here.

southeastastra · 08/04/2009 09:20

the blonde doctor was vile??? why? don't get that comment.

agree should be shown in schools. raise the alcohol age limit too. or just ban drunks from a and e.

nickschick · 08/04/2009 09:27

I only caught a bit of it but the blonde doctor had no empathy or understanding.

Why did that young lad die? hd he been drinking or fighting to hurt his head?

It was so sad .

I HATE my teens going out .

Do you think a 'fine' system would work if you attended hospital thru alcohol?

CrushWithEyeliner · 08/04/2009 09:31

I think the Doctor made some very valid points. She deals with this Sh** day in day out. It has ground her down but she is saving lives.

coochicoo · 08/04/2009 09:34

I didn't find the blonde Dr vile. I got the impression that she gets fed up of the seemingly endless stream of drunks who have self inflicted injuries or use A&E as an out-of-hours GP service,. I imagine it makes you that way.

Alcohol scares me. I never understood why my mum said she never slept properly until she heard my key in the front door. I get it now and know I'll be the same.

That drunk driver was an arse. I hope to teach my kids to never get in a car with someone wh's been drinking or taking drugs. If that's the only way they can get home they must phone us. Even if it's 4 in the morning.

I'll be watching next week.

nickschick · 08/04/2009 09:36

I dont disagree her points were valid - but in the small bit I watched a young girl who was on anti depressants but not taking them,hadnt eaten for a day and had been stabbed - the Dr was saying I cant understand why shes not eaten-well im not a dr ,but i can see a young girl with mental health issues unable to budget her money and her habits (if she was a druggie)whod been stabbed ,may very well not be able to afford a tin of beans the day before her money was due.

Yet the Dr with her (probable) big house and posh car didnt see fit to offer a bit of toast or a smile to a poor girl.

southeastastra · 08/04/2009 09:39

well the girl had been stabbed so maybe she was nil by mouth or whatever

dr just seemed resigned to the whole system. how they do that job is beyond me. but without out people like here we're pretty much stuffed.

maybe soon it will have to be privatised. so many abuse the system.

QuantitativeMeasure · 08/04/2009 09:44

That part where the girl had been given too much Ketamine (10x the prescribed dose???)- I was - but amazed at how calm the Dr remained throughout those 9 mins where that girl was effectively 'dead'.

Working in an A&E dept, in any capacity must be stressful and quite often thankless.

I dont think that the female Dr came across as cold etc, just pissed off with having to waste time with pissheads.

CrushWithEyeliner · 08/04/2009 10:11

I suspect she may have been extremely tired after a long shift. I also think the DRs see people who have illness and sadness thrust upon them as opposed to it being self- inflicted, and that makes their perspective shift totally.

retiredgoth2 · 08/04/2009 10:16

...I still think the Doctor featured in the programme was unpleasant.

It wasn't so much the content of her statements, more the arrogant, prissy manner with which they were delivered.

...I have worked in A and E since the early 90s, and have met a few (luckily, only a very few) people of her ilk.

They don't last long.

expatinscotland · 08/04/2009 10:19

How was she vile? She saves peoples lives EVERY DAY. I remember reading a quote on here, it was from Riven, whose daughter was born very brain-damaged, about how she spends every day trying to help her daughter cope and she can't understand people who spend their time just trying to deliberately fuck up their perfectly good mind.

I think I'm going to print that out and hang it up in my kids' bedroom when they're teens.

And how else was that doc who had the OD'd girl supposed to act? He didn't OD her, someone else did. His job was to save her life and, having been in situations where it can go either way myself, you must stay calm to do the best you can.

'Yet the Dr with her (probable) big house and posh car didnt see fit to offer a bit of toast or a smile to a poor girl.'

We have no idea what the doctor's background is or what kind of car or house she has. She's not there to be a social worker. She's there to make sure the girl doesn't die from her injuries and make referrals as necessary.

Did you notice how she said the staff gets abused and rarely so much as a thank you?

Well, from the posts on this page, I can see where she's coming from.

expatinscotland · 08/04/2009 10:21

They don't last long?

She'd been working in there from the early 90s herself?

Personally, when I go to A&E, I'm not there for tea and sympathy.

I want a competant doctor who does the job and gets me out of there as soon as he/hse can.

QuantitativeMeasure · 08/04/2009 10:21

Expat- I too was amazed at the Dr's calmness during the OD part. He didnt shed a drop of sweat.

fab series.

expatinscotland · 08/04/2009 10:23

I used to climb with plenty of docs who had nerves of steel like that. TBH, they made the best climbing partners. They weren't usually whiners or complainers, either. Another bonus.

'Now there is always something to do, even in the most dire of situations. If you just keep your wits about you.' - John Long (a now older and legendary climber)

LuluisgoingtobeanAunty · 08/04/2009 10:29

have sky plussed this to watch later. i was in our local A&E. i had a fall on saturday night and deliberately waited to go to A&E on sunday morning so i was not say amongst the drunks, and the fighters!

slightly bemused when i was left outside the entrance to A&E in a wheelchair, with no crutches and a leaflet on sprains.

but everyone very nice and competent and hospital clean and immaculate and i was seen and x rayed within 90 minutes

LadyOfScoffleTheEasterEggs · 08/04/2009 11:17

I thought everyone was talking about the blonde (nurse?) who was saying how it's usually deprived families whos mothers sit and watch their children trash the cubicles...

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CrushWithEyeliner · 08/04/2009 11:38

Bloody well said Expat

CrushWithEyeliner · 08/04/2009 11:40

she was a Doctor, Lady

corblimeymadam · 08/04/2009 11:52

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corblimeymadam · 08/04/2009 11:56

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BunnyLebowski · 08/04/2009 12:40

I'm with expat and belgianbun.

Why the HELL should that doctor or any other NHS worker feel happy or privileged to have to constantly treat people who are obnoxious, foul-mouthed and whose ailments are entirely self-inflicted???

That stupid girl who went under the taxi drunk typified it - making a big joke about it after 4 weeks of treatment costing god knows how much in health professionals time and tax-payers money.

And I thought blonde doctor was bang on about the sub-class bit.

Felt very sorry for the parents of poor lad though....