[lettie]

I think that some of the problems in A&E, which are well documented, are that people who should come to A&E with their problems often just don't come until those problems become life threatening. A&E departments up and down the country are packed out with people who shouldn't be there. People who turn up at A&E because they can't get a GP appointment, people with very minor injuries who could clean their wound and put a plaster on it (believe me.... I've seen it), and people who are regulars and have absolutely nothing wrong with them but A&E is the only attention they ever get from anyone (I've seen this too).

One of the problems is that the people who shouldn't be there bump up the waiting times therefore the people who should be there think well......maybe I'll just hang on at home and see if this pain, or whatever, settles because I may be waiting 4 hours in A&E. By the time they realise that things are serious their condition is often much worse. I waited over 24 hours to go to A&E with a fracture a few years ago. I thought that it was probable just a sprain and took a couple of paracetamol and went to bed. The day after, when my arm was turning black with the bruising I finally pitched up in A&E. They were amazed that I had actually been able to sleep with a fracture which hadn't been immobilised..