The press is obsessed with the lack of resources in the NHS, but tonight we witnessed first hand Fairfield Hospitals A&E.
The ambulance team are incredible having assessed the patient on location before proceeding to the hospital.
Surprisingly the waiting room is empty at 10pm as we wait for the ambulance to arrive.
We expected to have to wait hours to see a doctor but their new arrival is seen to immediately.
The staff here are incredible, polite and thorough whilst the patient is difficult uncooperative and complains incessantly.
Blood tests, blood pressure, oxygen levels, chest X-rays and a complete examination help in quickly determining the diagnosis.
IVs are administered quickly.
Blood test results are back within the hour confirming what is already considered likely.
Within a very short time admission is confirmed as inevitable.
As the night in A&E gets busy, noise levels increase and cubicles fill up.
A doctor tells a male subject in another bay that he will die too prematurely if he doesn’t stop drinking alcohol.. but that he mustn’t stop suddenly. You can hear his family pleading with this young man to listen.
Our focus continues to complain about the prodding and interruption to sleep.
In another cubicle I hear a doctor examining a patient just in. He asks if he can open his eyes and confirms that he’s been drinking Bombay Saphire gin.
The paper work is the main delay, but the staff are extremely thorough. They leave nothing to chance and everything is evidence based in their studies.
The patient then rips off the oxygen piece, no longer prepared to have discomfort to their nose.
The nurse is calm with their subject but no persuasion will change their mind. This male staff nurse reminds us that they are not able to force anyone to have anything they don’t want .. despite their best efforts to help make them better.
We stand around waiting for a porter to move this unwell person to a ward, but our cubicle will be needed shortly as a new emergency case arrives. So they move our poorly person and bed they’re in, to a holding bay until all the notes are written up.
Bravo to the NHS staff that work under a constant challenge of pressures. They are caring, professional and above all focused on keeping people well.
Unwell patients, worried relatives, over indulged addicts, victims of accidents, hypochondriacs and much more all taken in their stride.
Finally our patient is taken to the ward, the staff take over and we make our way back to the pay and display car park.
It’s time for bed, it’s been a long night.
