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Old age and the current state of local NHS emergency waits.

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McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
Firstly thanks for the good wishes from members here as I languish on my third day in what is a effectively a partial rebranding of A&E emergency services at Derby Royal Hospital.

I contacted 111 as I was suffering with quite severe bouts of shortness of breath following little or no exertion. I wanted to avoid hospital admission as Wendy is effectively house bound following her stroke in April.

There were no face to face appointments available at my GPs surgery.

The 111 call handler understood my situation, they were concerned about my symptoms so arranged for me to visit a department that is next door to the  existing A&E entrance named Urgent Care Unit (UCU). 111 had contacted UCU I had to be there within an hour.

i was triaged on arrival where I joined a queue of about a hundred patients. After a 10 hour wait I had bloods taken plus an X-ray. The X-ray showed my breathing problems were linked to fluid retention affecting my lungs. There are few beds available most patients are sat in chairs in the long corridor.

I'm waiting for a bed to become available in the Medical Assesment Unit so I can have the fluid removed. I asked if I could go home and come back in the morning, yes I could but my place in the queue would be lost so I would have to wait for another 10 or so hours.

I was finally given.a bed yesterday morning at 7.00 am.At present Wendy is self funding the 24 hour care she needs until I am discharged.

I'm on day 3 of waiting in the Urgent Care Unit as there is no bed free in the Medical Assesment Unit.

The UCU is not a ward as such so no lockers or call buttons. Last time I looked at the patient information board there were 100 patients in the UCU down by around 20 from yesterday.

What I thought was a  same day fix or an overnight admission has turned into waiting for a hospital bed.

Murf:
That sounds a terrible situation Ted, words fail me, absolutely no consideration for your health or for the fact that you are your wife’s carer. I just hope you can get some treatment and help soon.
I know it’s difficult but my advice would be to not just accept this and to start being demanding about your need to be treated and back home to take care of your wife.  Good luck and I will be thinking of you as I am sure everyone on the forum will be. Please keep us informed as and when you can. I am not that far away from Derby if you need anything brought to you in the hospital.

McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
An update I've moved to the Medical Assessment Unit so I'm hoping for some sort of treatment when the Clinicians have seen me.

K2-K6:
What a sad state of affairs Ted, given your current family consideration.

Certainly appears lacking in compassion at least in recognition of your commitment to support Wendy.

I wish you well, but too remote to be of any practical use though.

Hopefully it'll help to share some of this out here (as you're doing) and to know we are thinking of you.

Keep us informed as to your progress through such a sclerotic and frustrating health system.

Nigel.

Laverda Dave:
I have no words Ted to add to those already said. The NHS is absolutely on its knees although no politician will admit it or the reasons why. The NHS is being privatised by stealth.
Hang in there and I sincerely hope you get the treatment you need and you feel better and can get home to Wendy soon.

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