In article <000501c1c485$c0d280c0$6c0686d9@m9v3a9>, matt baskerville
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Steve,
> I am a ambulance technician working for wiltshire ambulance
>service and a regular visiter to the RUH and for you to say the problem of
>waiting times for unloading patients at bath is sorted is rubbish. We are
>having to wait all the time to unload patients in a/e some crew have had the
>patients on the ambulance trolley for over 2 hours where the staff refuse to
>accept them in a/e.
>I think bath out of all the hospitals i take patients to ie: PMH SDH is the
>worst for accepting patients and it is about time this was sorted as the
>patient care is forgotten
Sorry. Don't like that. It is precisely BECAUSE Steve is mindful of his
patients' care that such a drastic step is taken. At least in the back
of your ambulance, the patient has 2 trained staff and monitoring /
resus equipment, which is a whole lot safer than an unsupervised,
unmonitored corner of A&E. A&E is NOT an unlimited, infinitely expanding
resource to absorb all the backwash of patients from inadequate bed
provision as well as the in-coming emergencies. Your angst is justified,
but misdirected: aim it at those responsible.
Incidentally, we have seen a return to normal pressure of work over the
last few weeks. Several factors: MAU open longer, discharge lounge
opened, less "bed blockers" and a 10% reduction in emergency attenders
and admissions. Last week was the 1st week in 9 months to my knowledge
when we had no patients waiting > 12 hours for a ward bed.
Gautam Ray
locum consultant, A&E, Sussex
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