"Attendance at Emergency Department pm Thu 16..."

My wife started feeling very poorly Thursday morning and she suspected an outbreak of sepsis.

So we went to the UCLH ED.

It has recently been reorganised and was starting to implement the Manchester

Assessment system.

It was good to be met first by a senior nurse who quickly assessed my wife and directed us to the friendly and efficient reception desk.

There were about 30 other people in the waiting area.

Folk were being called through to be seen by a nurse about every 5 minutes and so we waited only about half an hour which we thought very good.

It was not long afterwards that the required blood samples and medical examinations were duly completed.

All in all a swift low stress experience.

During my wife's time in the resuss section a man was admitted accompanied by paramedics who was clearly 'out of it' on drugs (spice?).

He was writhing about , noisy and talking rubbish.

The staff treated him with care and it was not long before they decided for his own safety to place him on a matress on the floor with cushions around him and watched over by about 4 security guards and a nurse.

My wife was soon moved away from this commotion.

He was a 'regular' .

It was clear that because of his state he was delaying other patients from being seen - during my time two women clearly very unwell and just about holding it together.

This was quite an eye-opener to what an ED and its staff have to contend with and why such facilities often struggle to cope with demand.

They and bona fide poorly folk should not have to mix nor be delayed by people with self-inflicted conditions from drug and alcohol abuse.

I'd like to see a separate unit for such clients and some censure for wasting NHS time.

The NHS staff on duty were very impressive in being professional and calm.