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system set up & waiting time

Story from nhs.uk

"system set up & waiting time"

About: North Middlesex Hospital / Accident and emergency

On 26/11/17 I took my wife to this so called a&e got here at 8pm was seen by a doctor at 01am Sunday morning during this time the place was flooder by drunks druggies and rough sleepers oh not forgetting the amorous people at the back of the waiting room Yet security x3 seem blind to all this back to time waiting first speak to reception the usual questions that's expected then she had to visit a total of x3 more rooms only to replete what she said when she came only to be told you will have to see a doctor even to a lay person it was obvious she had breathing problems caused by chest infection yet she had to endure five hours wait with the in same dept as rough sleepers drunks ect this hospital needs to get there priority's right & employ more doctors on week ends .yes it was a cold night & I don't blame people to spend there time in the part warm waiting rooms no body seems to care if they have actualy signed in or just waked in & took up space by sleeping across 3/4 chairs while really sick people had no where to sit

maybe security should wake up to this & do there job there seemed to be more security than doctors what a experience don't want to replete

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Responses

Response from North Middlesex Hospital 6 years ago
North Middlesex Hospital

Submitted on 02/01/2018 at 08:24
Published on nhs.uk at 10:47

Dear Anonymous,

The homeless people who attend our Emergency Department book into the reception with an ailment, and then subsequently sit in the warm whilst they wait their turn to see a doctor.

When the doctors call they often ignore this and still sit in the warm until such time the security team can instruct them to leave.

We have a dilemma with distinguishing between a homeless person who really needs our A&E help and those who are using the department as a place of shelter. You will appreciate that we have to treat everyone who books in at reception with an ailment as a patient, until a doctor or nurse assesses otherwise.

Our security do work closely with our clinical staff to address these issues.

I do appreciate that waiting for long periods next to a person who may have some personal issues could be difficult. In winter, over 500 people attend our Emergency Department every day, and we are working to promote other routes for treatment, such as the local GP hubs in both Haringey and Enfield.

We have instructed our security team to be more proactive in asking visitors who do not need treatment to leave our hospital.

I apologise for the upset caused to you and your wife when visiting the Trust.

Antony Hudgell

Head of Estates and Facilities

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