Abuse of Scarborough Hospital NHS staff unwarranted – Yorkshire Post Letters

From: Belinda Robson, Scarborough.
A patient has set out the challenges facing NHS staff at Scarborough Hospital.A patient has set out the challenges facing NHS staff at Scarborough Hospital.
A patient has set out the challenges facing NHS staff at Scarborough Hospital.

I WAS obliged to make a second visit to Scarborough Hospital A&E department on October 31 as I was having trouble controlling the insulin dosage for my newly diagnosed diabetes.

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Three days prior to this visit, I had rung NHS 111 for help with my first hypo. The lady I spoke to gave me advice kindly and patiently and arranged for ambulance transport to hospital.

A patient has set out the challenges facing NHS staff at Scarborough Hospital.A patient has set out the challenges facing NHS staff at Scarborough Hospital.
A patient has set out the challenges facing NHS staff at Scarborough Hospital.

This never arrived but two hours later the ambulance service lady rang me to apologise and to ask if I minded being transported in a hospital taxi.

Half an hour later the taxi arrived and I had a pleasant journey to hospital with a very cheerful gentleman who said I was lucky to have “a free ride with a good-looking driver”.

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After triage in A&E I waited for nine hours in all. I was appalled at the attitude of other patients who made unpleasant remarks to the nurses about the “disgracefully long wait”.

During the evening, one of the nurses apologised for the waiting time but said they were currently treating 60 patients and could we please stop complaining.

It occurred to me that if Scarborough A&E was transferred to York, as has been suggested, these people would have far more to complain about.

More and more housing estates are being built in the Scarborough area, but where on earth are all the new inhabitants going to go for emergency medical treatment? Bridlington Hospital, I believe, is for minor injuries only.

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Fast forward then to October 31 when my blood-sugar levels rose dramatically.

I rang 999 and, after a few minutes, was connected to a call handler who was kind and sympathetic.

She agreed it was an emergency and promised to send an ambulance, which arrived half an hour later. I spoke at length to the two charming paramedics about my condition.

We set off to the hospital but when we arrived we found six other ambulances already there waiting to discharge their patients. After an hour my paramedics booked me in to A&E and left. Some of the other ambulances were still waiting.

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I was eventually seen by a very kind and helpful doctor and came away in a much more optimistic mood.

I know Covid 19-has made life even more difficult but the NHS was understaffed even before that.

Resources may be fewer or more difficult to access now, but do not take it out on the staff. They are doing a wonderful job. Thank you to all concerned with my healthcare.

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