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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/03/nhs-breaking-point-a-and-e-crisis-royal-stoke-university-hospital
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| 'The NHS is at breaking point': A&E crisis grips Royal Stoke hospital | 'The NHS is at breaking point': A&E crisis grips Royal Stoke hospital |
| (11 days later) | |
| Things got so bad at the Royal Stoke University hospital this week that a consultant issued a public apology for the “third world conditions due to overcrowding”. | Things got so bad at the Royal Stoke University hospital this week that a consultant issued a public apology for the “third world conditions due to overcrowding”. |
| Dr Richard Fawcett, a consultant in emergency medicine, made the apology on Tuesday, saying “it breaks my heart to see so many frail and elderly pts on the corridor for hrs and hrs due to exit block”. | Dr Richard Fawcett, a consultant in emergency medicine, made the apology on Tuesday, saying “it breaks my heart to see so many frail and elderly pts on the corridor for hrs and hrs due to exit block”. |
| Jackie Weaver’s 80-year-old father, who has epilepsy and severe dementia, was one of those stuck on a trolley in the corridor in the hospital over the weekend, waiting 36 hours to be treated. | Jackie Weaver’s 80-year-old father, who has epilepsy and severe dementia, was one of those stuck on a trolley in the corridor in the hospital over the weekend, waiting 36 hours to be treated. |
| We will be monitoring the situation in hospitals over the next few months and want to hear your experiences of the NHS this winter. We are keen to hear from healthcare professionals as well as patients about the situation. Have operations been cancelled? Has pressure led to certain wards being closed? How are staff coping? Help us document what is going on across the UK. | We will be monitoring the situation in hospitals over the next few months and want to hear your experiences of the NHS this winter. We are keen to hear from healthcare professionals as well as patients about the situation. Have operations been cancelled? Has pressure led to certain wards being closed? How are staff coping? Help us document what is going on across the UK. |
| He arrived at Royal Stoke at 4pm on Saturday and is on a ward having been diagnosed with pneumonia. | He arrived at Royal Stoke at 4pm on Saturday and is on a ward having been diagnosed with pneumonia. |
| Weaver, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: “It was absolutely horrendous. I have never witnesses anything like that before. There were a lot of elderly people who were clearly very distressed. | Weaver, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: “It was absolutely horrendous. I have never witnesses anything like that before. There were a lot of elderly people who were clearly very distressed. |
| “You couldn’t get past for all the trolleys in the corridors. I think the consultant’s description that it was ‘third world conditions’ is very accurate. The situation was that bad that they were having to take patients into the disabled toilets. | “You couldn’t get past for all the trolleys in the corridors. I think the consultant’s description that it was ‘third world conditions’ is very accurate. The situation was that bad that they were having to take patients into the disabled toilets. |
| “My mum stayed with him for as long as she could but she was exhausted. He was still on a trolley when she came back. In total he was stuck for 36 hours.” | “My mum stayed with him for as long as she could but she was exhausted. He was still on a trolley when she came back. In total he was stuck for 36 hours.” |
| She added: “My dad was very confused and didn’t really understand what was going on. I kept asking if there was any sort of timescale but they could only tell me that it was going to be a long wait. | She added: “My dad was very confused and didn’t really understand what was going on. I kept asking if there was any sort of timescale but they could only tell me that it was going to be a long wait. |
| “You can’t blame the staff. It’s not their fault. Despite the pressure they were under, they were very attentive and made sure my dad had food and was changed. The NHS is at breaking point and something needs to be done.” | “You can’t blame the staff. It’s not their fault. Despite the pressure they were under, they were very attentive and made sure my dad had food and was changed. The NHS is at breaking point and something needs to be done.” |
| Wendy Smith’s father, Barry Colclough, was taken to the Royal Stoke at about midnight on New Year’s Day with breathing difficulties. | Wendy Smith’s father, Barry Colclough, was taken to the Royal Stoke at about midnight on New Year’s Day with breathing difficulties. |
| Colclough, 79, who has asthma and heart failure, was on Wednesday night still waiting for a bed to become available more than 18 hours after he arrived. | Colclough, 79, who has asthma and heart failure, was on Wednesday night still waiting for a bed to become available more than 18 hours after he arrived. |
| Smith, 53, said: “The ambulance service was really good and got us straight up there to A&E. He was put on a trolley and on to a corridor. It was absolutely heaving and full of trolleys. | Smith, 53, said: “The ambulance service was really good and got us straight up there to A&E. He was put on a trolley and on to a corridor. It was absolutely heaving and full of trolleys. |
| “He was eventually put in a bay as he nearly fainted in the toilet. He was still there waiting to go on to a ward last night. He is getting his treatment but it is so degrading. What the consultant said was true. Something has to be done. You can’t fault the staff. They can only work with what they have got.” | “He was eventually put in a bay as he nearly fainted in the toilet. He was still there waiting to go on to a ward last night. He is getting his treatment but it is so degrading. What the consultant said was true. Something has to be done. You can’t fault the staff. They can only work with what they have got.” |
| Jackie Shelley took her husband to Royal Stoke and had to wait a day to get discharged, spending long periods in corridors. | Jackie Shelley took her husband to Royal Stoke and had to wait a day to get discharged, spending long periods in corridors. |
| She said: “All in all, he was in the A&E department for 24 hours. We cannot praise the staff enough who were working under severe pressure – they were attentive to my husband’s needs. | She said: “All in all, he was in the A&E department for 24 hours. We cannot praise the staff enough who were working under severe pressure – they were attentive to my husband’s needs. |
| “But the wait in the corridors and cubicles was horrendous. The trolleys are uncomfortable. My husband was eventually put on a more comfortable trolley – because of his lack of mobility he is prone to pressure sores. | “But the wait in the corridors and cubicles was horrendous. The trolleys are uncomfortable. My husband was eventually put on a more comfortable trolley – because of his lack of mobility he is prone to pressure sores. |
| “The hospital management need to spend more time in the department to see the reality of the situation.” | “The hospital management need to spend more time in the department to see the reality of the situation.” |
| Despite the poor conditions, staff insisted they were doing their best. Dr Gareth Davies, the emergency medicine registrar, tweeted on Tuesday night: “Royal Stoke on its knees. But we definitely saved a very unwell man’s life this am. Keep going team ED [emergency department] … you are amazing!” | Despite the poor conditions, staff insisted they were doing their best. Dr Gareth Davies, the emergency medicine registrar, tweeted on Tuesday night: “Royal Stoke on its knees. But we definitely saved a very unwell man’s life this am. Keep going team ED [emergency department] … you are amazing!” |
| Dr John Oxtoby, medical director of the hospital trust, said: “The health system in the north Midlands was under severe and sustained pressure over the Christmas period and this challenging situation has continued into the new year. | Dr John Oxtoby, medical director of the hospital trust, said: “The health system in the north Midlands was under severe and sustained pressure over the Christmas period and this challenging situation has continued into the new year. |
| “During this time the emergency departments will continue to see the sickest patients first, which is unfortunately leading to long waits for other patients.” | “During this time the emergency departments will continue to see the sickest patients first, which is unfortunately leading to long waits for other patients.” |
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