A&E staff warn patients they face 13 hour waits and no hospital beds

A struggling A&E told patients they had no beds in the hospital and would face waits of 13 hours, The Independent has learned.

NHS staff at Harlow A&E, run by Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust, warned patients on Monday: “We’ve got 170 patients in the department, there are 90 patients waiting to be seen at the moment…our current wait time for a doctor is seven and half hours I will estimate by the time I go home in the morning at 8 ‘clock some of you will still be waiting because the waits will get up to 13 hours.

“There are currently no beds in the trust we’re trying to make space if we can but if people are admitted there’s a chance they’ll stay in A&E overnight."

“We will do our best to make you comfortable but please don’t expect you will be going direct to a ward because that might not happen.”

The staff member asked relatives to leave as the department was so busy.

Speaking with The Independent an emergency department consultant from the Midlands said they were “fed up”.

He added: “It’s just so unfair on patients and staff. The best ones are burning out and wanting to leave. The only way to survive seems to be to stop caring/trying It’s just so unfair on patients and staff. The best ones are burning out and wanting to leave. The only way to survive seems to be to stop caring/trying.”

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Source: The Independent, 8 June 2022