A&E - I Was Shocked

[Richard A Thackeray]

Breaking News 2230hrs: I saw EMA could not send out ambulances to a serious car crash because all its ambulances were engaged in waiting at hospitals waiting for A+E to clear. The two injured motorists involved had to wait(in their car/injured?)for a rescue/help to arrive. It was two fire engines. Asked what would happen if a fire was to break out the injured were told they would have to be taken to the fire alongside the fireman before goin onto hospital. Such is progress! Crisis in the NHS. Wot crisis!!

Happens to us, we can have 10 crews waiting to hand over, if patients can't 'self hand-over' (or cannot be left unattended - even if within sight of ED staff)
Personally, I've not seen Fire Crews bring anyone in

I was quite shocked to find that hospital corridors are nowadays thick with vending machines selling sugar laden food and drink. It is difficult to get healthy food in hospital! Doesn't help reduce obesity. No doubt its the socialist unions who put the machines there.

We are the 'tenants' in our Hospital
All the vending machines are placed there, by the company that owns the buildings/grounds (& the canteen), I doubt that filling them with tofu/quorn. etc.... would sell enough to pay for them

A good union would fight hard to ensure its members get a proper break, somewhere safe to eat it and that the price is affordable. A staff canteen is the ideal.
The vending machine is another of the symbols of capitalism that should be smashed when the glorious revolution begins.

The canteen there has, so I'm informed reduced (or even removed) staff discount
I'm not sure if this is just on cooked food, as I only generally get a Yoghurt from there ('self-serve, add own fruits of choice) @ £1.70

We have a small WH Smiths, & if I run there, I'll get a 'meal deal' - sandwich, drink (usually bottle of Lucozade) & a fruit/nut bar (@ £3.70)
That said, they lease the space...... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-34323136

The WVRS were offered that unit, but refused, due to rent asked

[Flinders]

I was quite shocked to find that hospital corridors are nowadays thick with vending machines selling sugar laden food and drink. It is difficult to get healthy food in hospital! Doesn't help reduce obesity. No doubt its the socialist unions who put the machines there.

What has vending machines got to do with unions ?

A good union would fight hard to ensure its members get a proper break, somewhere safe to eat it and that the price is affordable. A staff canteen is the ideal.
The vending machine is another of the symbols of capitalism that should be smashed when the glorious revolution begins.

Comrade NUKe

I think Mike may have been being sarcastic about a previous post suggesting that unions might not want volunteer help.

[Mike Sales]

We have a small WH Smiths, & if I run there, I'll get a 'meal deal' - sandwich, drink (usually bottle of Lucozade) & a fruit/nut bar (@ £3.70)
That said, they lease the space...... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-34323136

The WVRS were offered that unit, but refused, due to rent asked

I had imagined that money was at the root of the idiocy of sugar vending machines in hospitals, and the replacement of WVS run stores with W.H.Smug.
When I was an inpatient I wanted to buy a notebook and pen to record my experience. The prices in Smiths in the hospital seemed rather high. I checked when discharged and found that even the high street Smiths were a lot cheaper, and of course other shops even cheaper.

[Bmblbzzz]

Could've been the sugar-harvesters' unions...

[MarkF]

A&E staff are hard working, it can be relentless, I was not including them in my lazy, living-in-a-bubble comment about NHS workers. But unless there is an sudden and extreme change of public mindset, unlikely, then A&E will continue to be abused, the first stop for the most minor of ailments.

Sugary food hospital vending machines, so what? Have you seen the size of NHS staff, I've never seen so many smokers and fatties, they are surrounded by healthy eating information, trained to impart healthy living advice, if you can't educate them, who can you?

[Mike Sales]

Sugary food hospital vending machines, so what? Have you seen the size of NHS staff, I've never seen so many smokers and fatties, they are surrounded by healthy eating information, trained to impart healthy living advice, if you can't educate them, who can you?

So what? There is a difference between individuals making poor choices and institutions pushing unhealthy food at their employees and customers in order to make a profit. After all, they don't have cigarette vending machines in the corridors.

[Richard A Thackeray]

A&E staff are hard working, it can be relentless
But unless there is an sudden and extreme change of public mindset, unlikely, then A&E will continue to be abused, the first stop for the most minor of ailments.

True & true
I watch the Nurses & Doctors work their (shall we just be polite, & say?) socks off every day
From 08:00 - 23:00, there's a Consultant on the shop-floor, sometimes 2 (more during the day)
Our Nursing staff are on 12 hour days

We're one of the busiest in the country, with circa 89,000 patients seen so far this year, the last figures I saw put us in the top-5
Granted, some of those are multiple attenders, but each booking in generates a 'Cas card', & the figures are taken from that

Sugary food hospital vending machines, so what? Have you seen the size of NHS staff, I've never seen so many smokers and fatties, they are surrounded by healthy eating information, trained to impart healthy living advice, if you can't educate them, who can you?

We have both extremes of staff
I could name several Triathletes (including one who has, I believe, worn a GB tri-suit)
We have a couple of Consultants who ride the European Sportives
One Security guard is a cage-fighter!

I know one Nurse, who (before falling pregnant) was a kick-boxer, a few years ago she went to America to represent her federation/association, at her weight/age/ability
She was in line for a gold medal, but got marked down to silver for being too aggressive!!

[lingy]

It is difficult to get healthy food in hospital! Doesn't help reduce obesity. No doubt its the socialist unions who put the machines there.

Struggling to understand that one! The unhealthy vending machines in hospitals issue is, just like the shopping mall look of some hospitals, the product of misguided income generation schemes. Hospitals are forced to try and save/make money...and many do it this way...but the 'socialist unions'...and unhealthy vending? Got me there...

[lingy]

Interesting discussion. It's not really just ED, but most of the NHS system. There's some good opinion on here - cyclists being generally hardy folk. One thing that has not been mentioned is the compensation culture which encourages everyone to misuse health services (ED, MIU and GP) to get their injuries documented, even when they don't need professional help. In GP land this is then followed by umpteen pain/distress visits in the hope of inflating the claim. People that do this never seem to think that this behaviour might be contributing to capacity issues in the NHS.

[Psamathe]

Interesting discussion. It's not really just ED, but most of the NHS system. There's some good opinion on here - cyclists being generally hardy folk. One thing that has not been mentioned is the compensation culture which encourages everyone to misuse health services (ED, MIU and GP) to get their injuries documented, even when they don't need professional help. In GP land this is then followed by umpteen pain/distress visits in the hope of inflating the claim. People that do this never seem to think that this behaviour might be contributing to capacity issues in the NHS.

People seem to take varying attitudes to being ill/injured. Some people act like complete prima donnas and seem to need others to fuss over even minor illness or injuries and it takes over their lives, stopping them doing all sorts of stuff they could easily still do. Others accept injury/illness and make the best of it and get on with everything they can whilst recovering. i.e. Some people make the best of it whilst others seem to make the worst of it.

Ian

[MarkF]

So what? There is a difference between individuals making poor choices and institutions pushing unhealthy food at their employees and customers in order to make a profit. After all, they don't have cigarette vending machines in the corridors.

The patients are individuals too, also able to make choices, vending machines do not "push" their products in institutions where there are also canteens and cafes offering healthier alternatives. Maybe they should have cigarette machines in the corridors? After all the NHS receives £5+ via tobacco tax for every £1that is spends on treating related illnesses.

[beardy]

Looking at it from the viewpoint of somebody who hardly ever bothers the medical industry with his presence, I dont really see any other options for people.
If you have an injury requiring attention most people are only aware of their GP surgery or A&E. The GP surgery is either closed or will not see you, so you go to A&E. We do supposedly have an NHS service and A&E is the only way to actually get any level of treatment that you couldnt provide for yourself.

You can, if you wish, waste an hour (of possibly valuable time) before hand phoning some healthcare line before inevitably being told to go to A&E.

[Psamathe]

Looking at it from the viewpoint of somebody who hardly ever bothers the medical industry with his presence, I dont really see any other options for people.
If you have an injury requiring attention most people are only aware of their GP surgery or A&E. The GP surgery is either closed or will not see you, so you go to A&E. We do supposedly have an NHS service and A&E is the only way to actually get any level of treatment that you couldnt provide for yourself.

You can, if you wish, waste an hour (of possibly valuable time) before hand phoning some healthcare line before inevitably being told to go to A&E.

There are quite a few "Walk-in Centres" around. As the name suggests you just turn-up and how long you wait depends on how many others are there waiting. No need to be registered with them and their hours are normally far longer than GP practices (in my experience open until midnight or 22:00). They lie somewhere between GP and A&E. If they have concerns about an injury then they may send you on to A&E (as happened with my Dad recently).

They seem to work well. The NHS 111 line will direct you to a walk-in centre if they consider it appropriate for your problem (note that you can just turn-up at a walk0in centre and don't have to be sent there by NHS 111).

Ian

[Bmblbzzz]

Sugary food hospital vending machines, so what? Have you seen the size of NHS staff, I've never seen so many smokers and fatties, they are surrounded by healthy eating information, trained to impart healthy living advice, if you can't educate them, who can you?

So what? There is a difference between individuals making poor choices and institutions pushing unhealthy food at their employees and customers in order to make a profit. After all, they don't have cigarette vending machines in the corridors.

They still have them on the streets in Austria, as I saw on holiday this summer! And when my grandfather was a surgeon in Dartford in the 1950s/60s, he started smoking as it was the trendy thing to do among doctors. He gave up, not because it was unhealthy, but because he had chosen a pipe and it took so long to get it going that he'd be called away just as he was about to start smoking!

[Vorpal]

Looking at it from the viewpoint of somebody who hardly ever bothers the medical industry with his presence, I dont really see any other options for people.
If you have an injury requiring attention most people are only aware of their GP surgery or A&E. The GP surgery is either closed or will not see you, so you go to A&E. We do supposedly have an NHS service and A&E is the only way to actually get any level of treatment that you couldnt provide for yourself.

You can, if you wish, waste an hour (of possibly valuable time) before hand phoning some healthcare line before inevitably being told to go to A&E.

Healthcare line? Do you mean NHS 111? If they call NHS 111, they can get some help
a) deciding if it actually requires treatment right now
b) determining the best place to get treatment (if a Walk-in surgery can deal with it, for example)
c) with what to do in the meanwhile (e.g. wrap the injury in a clean towel & keep it elevated)

I've used it a few times (when it was NHS Direct), and generally found them to be good. They do err on the side of caution, though. One time Mr. V called, and they said Littlest should go to A&E, so Mr. V. insisted that I take him, even though I thought it was unnecessary, and so did the staff who eventually saw Littlest. The problem was when Mr. V called and explained that Littlest had crawled under a chair and bumped his head, which resulted in some splinters in his head, what they heard was >>HEAD INJURY<<.