Main hospital corridor turned into ‘makeshift ward’

The main corridor of an acute hospital has been closed to patients and staff and turned into a ‘makeshift ward’, in what sources describe as an ‘absolutely unprecedented’ situation.

The move by Aintree Hospital comes after staff clashed with paramedics last week about whether ambulance patients could be brought into the crowded emergency department.

One staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “It’s exceptional for this to happen, but I can see it happening more over winter. It’s a rock and a hard place… either you wait in the ambulance if the queue is too long, or you wait in the main hospital corridor. Neither option is ideal.”

Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “Across the country, the urgent and emergency care system is in unprecedented crisis. Emergency medicine teams and our paramedic colleagues are doing their very best to deliver effective care in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Circumstances like these require ICB leaders to engage, take control of the situation and accept their responsibility. This will both help to de-escalate the situation and ensure the right decision is made for the patients, the ED teams and ambulance crews."

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Source: HSJ, 19 October 2022 (paywalled)