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NHS Staff: Woman Died Alone on A&E Trolley
11 Jan
Summary
- An elderly woman died alone on a trolley in a hospital corridor.
- Staff are overwhelmed due to high patient numbers and insufficient staff.
- Morale is critically low among exhausted NHS workers facing stress.
Exhausted NHS staff at Arrowe Park Hospital's A&E department have revealed that an elderly woman died alone on a trolley in a corridor. The emergency department is experiencing extremely high demand, with patient numbers around 30 per cent higher than expected for this time of year, leading to overcrowding and a lack of safe patient care. Staff report being overwhelmed, with concerns that this situation is now common and likely to recur.
The hospital's A&E is currently struggling with over 330 daily patients, peaking at 370 in December. This has resulted in lengthy waits, with over 100 patients waiting for a bed at one point, far exceeding the department's designed capacity. The intense pressure has led to significant staff stress, with many senior members taking leave, increasing reliance on less experienced staff and agency workers.
While the hospital trust acknowledges the high demand and states patient safety is its top priority, staff feel the situation is worsening. They are calling for clearer guidance and immediate action to address the crisis, emphasizing that patients are being harmed and the department is non-functional. The trust has opened extra beds and wards to alleviate pressure and urged the public to only use A&E for emergencies.
