Patients treating own wounds to avoid long A&E waits

Patients are treating their own wounds and making their own slings rather than face hours waiting at A&E, a survey suggests.

One in four adults said they needed to visit A&E in the past two years but decided not to go because it would take too long to be treated. Of these, more than half said they had suffered as a result, and one in three said they had treated a cut or wound themselves.

One in ten said they had put their arm or leg in a homemade sling, and one in five needed time off work to get better instead of getting treatment. The poll of 2,213 adults was commissioned by the Lib Dems, who said there was an “epidemic of DIY A&E”.

Waiting times to get seen in A&E have deteriorated significantly in recent years, with more than 120,000 a month having to wait at least 4 hours to be seen.

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: The Times, 26 August 2024