NHS nurse lays bare grim reality of A&E today as man dies in his wheelchair

An NHS caregiver has shared their harrowing grounds astatine the authorities of A&E, recalling caller tragedies including the decease of a antheral successful his wheelchair pursuing a cardiac arrest

An A&E portion was truthful crammed doctors were incapable to scope and resuscitate a antheral successful a wheelchair who suffered a cardiac arrest, a caregiver said.

The antheral died arsenic his frantic woman screamed for assistance successful the inhumane country astatine the hospital astatine which the caregiver works. She shared the lawsuit successful a harrowing grounds astatine the existent authorities of her A&E, that echoes the Mirror's probe this week which shows people being treated connected trolleys successful corridors has go the "new normal".

The nurse, who wants to stay anonymous, told however corridors are often afloat astatine their Greater London infirmary with patients waiting for - oregon receiving - treatment. Mental heath patients person breakdowns, instrumentality is bushed and patients are struggling to get oxygen successful the nurse's hospital, they say.

"It was – and is – inhumane, but past I could usage that connection to picture a batch of what is unfolding successful our exigency departments these days and successful which corridor nursing, which should truly lone beryllium utilized successful exceptional circumstances, has go a regular world without which A&E departments couldn’t relation astatine all," the wellness nonrecreational says.

It comes arsenic a apical doc warned half the colonisation volition extremity up successful A&E each year if much attraction is not delivered by GPs, assemblage clinics and societal care. A&E volition carnivore much of the flack, it is feared.

And the caregiver adds: "Even the corridor was filled to capableness with patients connected trolleys, successful wheelchairs and waiting country chairs, on with their relatives and different ‘walking wounded’ patients, each trying to navigate their mode to and from the vending instrumentality astatine the acold end.

"So crammed, that erstwhile the antheral successful the wheelchair suffered a cardiac arrest, it was intolerable for the clang squad to get to him to resuscitate him.

"There was virtually nary country to scope him, little inactive to prevarication him connected the level and execute CPR, thing which has go not uncommon, on with nurses straddling patients connected trolleys performing CPR arsenic everyone watches. That antheral died close determination successful his seat arsenic his frantic woman screamed for help."

Their lengthy testimony, written for the Mail Online, details the "chaos" they acquisition "24 hours a day, 7 days a week". At 1 constituent recently, determination were 167 patients waiting to beryllium treated successful the facility's exigency department, which has a capableness of 60. It near draughty corridors afloat with patients waiting for care.

And it is the aged for whom the caregiver peculiarly fears. Admissions among this demogaphic spike during the wintertime months. The nonrecreational says: "A friend’s lad was instructed to spell to an A&E astatine his nearest infirmary successful the Midlands aft dialling 111 with a suspected concussion playing rugby.

"When helium got there, helium was directed to beryllium successful what turned retired to beryllium a acceptable of aged weighing scales. He sat determination each nighttime amid nightmarish scenes, and felt truthful unsafe that helium contemplated ordering a taxi to spell home. Think astir what that says: if an 18-year-old, 6ft rugby subordinate is frightened, however bash the old, the frail, the susceptible feel? It’s appalling."