The harrowing sights I’ve seen in our hospitals is the new normal

ANYONE who has visited an emergency department in recent months will not be surprised by yesterday’s figures.

A close relative of mine has had the misfortune of being rushed to A&E on eight occasions in recent months and the experiences have been harrowing to say the least.

On almost every occasion they have required admission to hospital, but waits of at least 12 hours for a bed in a ward are almost the norm.

And so we have grown accustomed to leaving them lying on a trolley, often without a blanket or pillow, for a long night alone in an overcrowded A&E while we go home to grab a few hours of sleep.

Sadly, our experience is far from unique. I’ve walked past a young woman feeding an old man his breakfast as he lay on a trolley in the corridor.

I’ve watched a woman desperately trying to find somewhere private to wheel her son’s trolley so he could use a bed pan.

Anyone who has spent time in our hospitals can see there aren’t enough beds or nurses to staff them — certainly the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine are clear this is the case.

They have repeatedly put forward the argument for increased resources. It is time for the people in charge to listen to their calls and put an end to the suffering of staff and patients alike.