A&E experience
I attended Heartlands Hospital A&E with my 80-year-old neighbour, who had been experiencing a nosebleed for over an hour. She is on blood thinners, has high blood pressure, and is prone to blood clots. Upon arrival, we overheard the receptionist informing another patient that everyone was seen strictly in order of arrival, regardless of symptoms or urgency. Despite her age and medical risks, we waited an hour and a half before realising—via the hospital’s live online data—that the current waiting time was over 5 hours and 30 minutes. At that point, my neighbour was exhausted and we decided to take her home, advising her to call 999 if the bleeding continued. The A&E department itself was overcrowded, disorganised, and noticeably unclean. The overall environment felt chaotic and poorly managed, leaving us with little confidence in the care available.
