Overcrowded Hospitals: Patients Dying in Corridors
Patients are dying in corridors and pregnant women are miscarrying in side rooms as overwhelmed hospitals struggle to cope, nurses say. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) reported that more than 5,000 of its members across the UK have provided evidence this winter, indicating that cupboards, car parks, bathrooms, and nursing stations are being converted into makeshift areas for patients. This dire situation is putting patients at risk as vital equipment like oxygen, heart monitors, and suction equipment are inaccessible to staff. The lack of time and space to provide CPR further exacerbates the risks patients face.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the intolerable conditions but shifted the blame onto the previous government. However, RCN general secretary Prof Nicola Ranger emphasized that these findings should serve as a “wake-up call” to the current government. Prof Ranger stressed the urgent need for increased investment and called for scrutiny of the government’s efforts to address the mounting winter pressures in hospitals.
## Heartbreaking Testimonies
The RCN published over 400 pages of testimonies detailing the harrowing experiences witnessed by nurses. These testimonies included instances of patients having cardiac arrests in crowded corridors, individuals dying while waiting on trolleys, and women miscarrying in side rooms. Nurses described how elderly patients were left in soiled clothing for days and how one patient with dementia had to be changed next to a vending machine in a corridor.
One nurse shared her emotional turmoil, expressing, “We permanently have corridor care now. Patients don’t have the dignity and care they should have. To be quite honest, it breaks my heart.” Another nurse revealed feelings of embarrassment and disillusionment, stating, “Never in my 30-year career could I have imagined this would become a ‘norm’ but it is.”
## Personal Stories of Neglect
A nurse from the south-east of England recounted working on corridors nearly every shift and witnessing particularly distressing cases. She described a dying patient in her 90s with dementia and respiratory issues left unattended in a corridor for eight hours, deprived of appropriate end-of-life care. The nurse lamented, “You take your dog to the vet and they get better care. We are not caring for patients in the way we would like to.”
In a statement to the House of Commons, Streeting vowed to address the crisis, attributing the situation to past governmental failures. NHS England chief nursing officer Duncan Burton acknowledged the extreme pressure the health service is under, highlighting the need for improved patient and staff experiences.
These heart-wrenching accounts shared by nurses echo the sentiments of patients who witness the challenges faced by overworked and understaffed healthcare professionals. The call for urgent action to alleviate the strain on hospitals and ensure dignified care for all patients is louder than ever.