Letter: No Wonder Our A&E is Under Pressure

Published on: 14 Aug, 2023
Updated on: 14 Aug, 2023

From: Name and address supplied

See: Pleas for Responsible Use of Health Services During Doctors’ Strike Action

Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership have urged responsible use of NHS services during the doctor’s industrial action and the CEO of the Royal Surrey, Lisa Stead, in her forthright interview with The Dragon, advised those seeking medical urgent attention to call 111 for advice before considering Accident & Emergency.

Although I would not burden the Royal Surrey’s A&E with my back pain problem my experience of dialling 111 does not bode well. I was told there was a 24-hour wait if I wished to speak to someone but I could send a message via their website.

Of course, having suffered back pain now for at least two weeks, my first port of call was my GP. I went there in person, having found telephone responses and requests via their website impossible or unreliable.

The receptionist said the first available date for a face-to-face consultation was September 12, almost a whole month away. In the meantime, I have been referred to a pharmacy but I really want to speak to a doctor.

Is it any wonder our hospital’s A&E is under such pressure when these responses are received and queues for medical attention so long?