‘A&E like battlefield’ as Welsh hospitals struggle with pressures of winter
ACCIDENT and emergency departments in Welsh hospitals are “struggling to cope” with demand this winter, it is claimed.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (Wales) says it is “extremely concerned” that patient safety could be compromised in some units.
Latest Welsh Government data revealed that the average number of A&E attendances per day was 2,752 – 3.3% higher than the same month in 2016 and the highest number of attendances per day in any November since reporting began in 2006.
Hospitals across Wales are urging people to “choose well” and only use emergency departments when it is absolutely necessary.
Dr Robin Roop, vice-president of RCEM Wales, said: “For staff, an emergency department feels like a battlefield.
“We are fighting to safely treat an increasing number of acutely unwell patients, we are fighting to find enough staff to cover shifts 24-7 and we are fighting to find an available hospital bed for sick patients when there simply aren’t enough.
“The fact of the matter is that despite the best efforts of all NHS staff, patient safety is being compromised daily.
“It is not acceptable that an increasing number of patients are being left on a trolley in a corridor, without satisfactory care.
“This is unsafe, undignified and distressing for patients and their family members.”
Dr Roop added: “The perennial pressures on our emergency departments is not the fault of the patient or staff.
“We should be able to plan and adequately care for our growing and ageing population, despite severe cases of influenza and other infectious illnesses.
“However, insufficient resources to match patient numbers all year round has resulted in compromised patient safety, declining four-hour performance, A&E crowding and ‘exit block’ across Wales.”
The college said it welcomed the Welsh Government’s winter resilience plans announced in November.
“Nevertheless, to provide safe and sustainable care for all patients we need more,” Dr Roop added.
“We need more capacity in the entire health and social care systems which means more hospital beds, more nurses and more doctors.
“Our A&E departments are severely stretched – let’s act now.”
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board issued a statement yesterday which confirmed that its hospitals were under “great pressure” and that extra bed capacity had been put in place.
A spokesman added: “During the Christmas and New Year period the Royal Gwent and Nevill Hall hospitals have been extremely busy due to an unusually high intake of very poorly people, particularly with clinically significant respiratory illnesses.
“We are asking the public to only consider visiting our emergency departments if they really need to.
“We would advise that people should consider calling NHS Direct Wales (0845 46 47) for advice, visit their local pharmacist, call our GP Out of Hours service, or attend our Minor Injury Units at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach or Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan in Ebbw Vale, where waiting-times will be much shorter for the treatment of minor injuries.
“The safety of our patients remains our priority – they will continue to receive a high standard of care should they need to access our services.”
Meanwhile, in England, routine hospital appointments are to be deferred to help hospitals combat severe winter pressures, health officials announced last night.
In a drastic step to try to free up hospital staff and beds, NHS England had also said that the deferral of non-urgent elective care – such as hip or knee replacements – should be extended until at least the end of the month.
Meanwhile, to free up doctors to care for patients with urgent need, day-case procedures and routine outpatient appointments should also be deferred until January 31, officials said.
This will mean that senior hospital doctors can triage more patients in A&E, be available for phone advice for GPs and ensure that patients in hospitals are reviewed twice each day to help timely discharges.
NHS England also said sanctions for mixed-sex accommodation breaches should be temporarily lifted.