Just a 'normal' night at Croydon University Hospital
THIS shocking image shows patients lining a hospital ward – amid waiting times of more than eight hours – in an image described as presenting an "extremely worrying picture" of the growing pressure on our health services.
Yet Croydon University Hospital told the Advertiser this week the image simply shows an average night in its accident and emergency department.
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This picture of Croydon University Hospital's A&E was taken by the relative of an elderly patient
The picture was taken from a video shot by a relative of an elderly patient who spent eight hours and 46 minutes waiting to be seen after being taken to the A&E with a suspected chest infection at 10pm on Friday.
Michael Castle, 21, described how his uncle, 78-year-old Anthony Harman, was far from alone in facing extended waiting times amid scenes verging on chaos.
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He said: "A lady who had come in with heart problems discharged herself because she had been there six hours and not been seen.
"Another lady waited eight hours for an X-ray. The staff nurse described A&E as 'like Baghdad'. There were bodies everywhere, and bloods and observations were being neglected.
"It was very bad.
"I have a lot of respect for Croydon University Hospital but they should have diverted ambulances to another A&E.
"After I thanked the nurse for her help she replied: 'I didn't really help, you've seen how bad its been here. You don't know how many of us said to go on divert. At the end of the day, it's patients' lives at risk'."
Croydon Health Services said it was unable to provide "validated" data in response to questions about how many people attended A&E that evening or how many had waited for longer than four hours, the target the trust, which runs the hospital, sets itself.
The trust said its A&E, which is divided into an urgent care centre run by Virgin Care and a traditional emergency department, had been "busy", like most other emergency units in south west London.
The hospital said ambulance diverts, which last 90 minutes, only occur on a planned basis.
A spokesman added: "At this time of year our A&E department, like many others across the country, can become very busy but we have a duty of care to provide appropriate treatment for anyone who attends the A&E department.
"Our staff work very hard to ensure the safety of everyone in the department. Whilst we try to ensure that nearly every patient is seen, treated and either admitted or safely discharged within four hours, during extremely busy times it may not be possible to do this."
Mr Castle, of Pirbright Crescent in New Addington, said: "This may be something normal but that doesn't make it right."
Croydon Healthwatch Pathfinder, a group which represents patients, urged the trust to launch an investigation.
Chairman Frederick Clark said: "The image presents an extremely worrying picture of the growing pressures on our local A&E services and the traumatic impact this has on local residents, many with serious health needs and concerns.
"Croydon Healthwatch Pathfinder have, for some time, expressed concerns that waiting times have been too long and conditions unacceptable at the department.
"While we are aware that facilities are to be upgraded, we need to be reassured that senior staffing levels are adequate, policies for redirection are acted upon and patients' dignity and treatment are the main priority."
Comments
by ECCD1
Friday, December 21 2012, 1:55PM
“But your not helping going to 'Accident and Emergency'. With a 'suspected chest infection!”
by Chris_Wilcox
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 5:37PM
“@GuyFawk: We in Labour learned from our mistakes.
The Torys are just repeating theirs over and over again.
The previous Labour Govt tried Compassionate ( Kind ) Thatcherism. Trickle-down economics, working with the Private Sector, to create a better way. Obviously it failed, as The Bankers could not be trusted and The Private Sector could not either. Both just thieved as much as they could and then retired to The Maldives. It was a big mistake.
Hence why we're now looking at taking stuff back in house. Using true Public Sector not-for-profit efficiency, whilst working with The Charities. Which should give maximum value-for-money for the Taxpayer now 'Jobs for life' has ended.
Our Care Homes are a major target for Croydon Labour. We want them back in house after Maggie Mead botched the Privatisation. We want our Car Parks back in as well from what I understand.
Labour nationally is looking at getting The Trains back in house. For the same reasons ( namely the for-profit providers are naff ). We also want to bust the energy market, due to how it is not competing and is simply profiteering in an organised way ( prices always go up but never come down, unlike the price of wholesale gas ).
The problem is Shareholders. And this is true for PFI as well. When you take on Shareholders you take on a loan that can never be paid off. Unlike a normal bank loan. And with PFI it's shareholders in the form of Landlords who are able to charge a fortune and will never be paid off for their investment at the start.
Labour have learned this lesson and moved on. The Torys have not. George Osborne is still signing off PFI deals now.
How about attacking the crowd who are still doing the bad deeds? Rather than wasting your energies on the reformed crowd you might actually be able to work with in the future? Make sense?”
by GuyFawk
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 5:21PM
“re: Chris-Wilcox
You really are a dreamer. Labour cost the taxpayer £multi-millions with their PFI fiasco paying some three or more times the actual cost of building hospitals etc. While the present coalition government needs a kick in the pants the former Labour Government should be arrested for treason!”
by Chris_Wilcox
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 5:00PM
“@Pete:
It was kept quiet as the Torys so far have face a right ****ging over Privatising The NHS. The local Torys won't want people to know.
Oh, they Privatised our Care Homes as well. Wages plummeted by 40% overnight. The decent staff are leaving in droves.”
by petetheeagle
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 4:42PM
“A large percentage of patients attend a/e because of a poor GP service. I had to visit a/e last Saturday as I fit into this category. I booked in at 5.39 and left a/e at midnight. The waiting room was left freezing cold even though a number of babies were brought in for treatment.
I think people should be aware that the a/e at your local hospital is now run by a private company. We haven't been told that have we? I only found out by reading a booklet about making a complaint.”
by Chris_Wilcox
Monday, December 17 2012, 8:56PM
“I quizzed Virgin Care on this one a while back at a Hear Us meet.
They insisted terms & conditions would be maintained for staff, rather than pay cuts.
Considering they are a for-profit provider who squirrel away money to carry lazy shareholders it's obvious not all they are given gets to our A&E.
So how many staff have they cut to free up cash to pay off their shareholders?
Could this be why we have this problem?
And why on earth does Mayday not know how long people have been waiting when it is an official Govt target they are supposed to comply with? I find that deeply worrying.”
by GuyFawk
Monday, December 17 2012, 1:58PM
“.. and if you attend the A&E Department at the weekend you will find it overwhelmed with drunken just women predominantly. What a waste of our Health Service!”
by roomster
Monday, December 17 2012, 7:36AM
“Whilst many of us know that people often attend A&E's with minor problems that could be dealt with by our GP's however until Gp's offer a 7/24 service our hospital should be staffed in such away that they can deal with all patients needs in far less time.
We need a health service including GP's to offer an effective 7/24 care after all they are paid vast salaries these days.”