URGENT UPDATE: Delays in admitting patients to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham have reached critical levels, with 26 ambulances forced to wait outside the A&E department. This alarming situation unfolded on October 28, 2023, around 5 PM, leaving emergency services unable to respond to urgent calls from the community.
Eyewitness accounts describe an overwhelming scene, with one woman reporting that her husband endured more than 24 hours in a waiting bay before finally receiving a bed. As the healthcare system buckles under pressure, health leaders are calling the situation “unacceptable.”
Authorities confirm that the backlog is symptomatic of wider issues plaguing the NHS, particularly as winter approaches. The regional organizer for Unison, which represents thousands of staff at Nottingham University Hospitals, expressed grave concerns, stating, “Paramedics and ambulance crews want to be out saving lives, not waiting for hours in hospital car parks.”
Witnessing the chaos firsthand, the Aspley resident who recorded the incident shared, “The state of A&E was something else… People were lying down on the floor because there was nowhere for them to sit.” Her husband, suffering from low oxygen levels, was prioritized but still faced a harrowing wait until 8 PM the next day, where he was ultimately diagnosed with pneumonia.
Dave Limer, the Unison representative, emphasized the urgency of the situation: “This shows the NHS is already in crisis before winter’s even begun, and patients are being let down by a system that’s completely overstretched.”
In response to the mounting pressures, Greg Cox, divisional director for Nottinghamshire at EMAS, stated that the handover delays are a major concern. “We continue to face significant pressures on our service, in part due to unacceptable patient handover delays,” he noted. “Handover delays are not an ambulance and hospital only issue – they are a symptom of wider pressures across the NHS and social care systems.”
Cox assured the public that EMAS is working diligently to improve the situation, citing a commitment to the national 45-minute maximum ambulance handover time standard. He appealed to the community to use NHS services wisely, urging that 999 should be reserved for life-threatening emergencies and recommending alternative services for urgent health needs.
Meanwhile, Tasso Gazis, divisional director for medicine at Nottingham University Hospitals, acknowledged the increased demand on local health services and reiterated the importance of vaccinations this winter. He urged the public to utilize alternative health services where possible, in addition to attending the Emergency Department only in emergencies.
As the situation develops, the NHS faces a pivotal moment. With winter nearing, health leaders are calling for immediate action to relieve the pressure on both staff and patients. The community is left grappling with the emotional weight of witnessing a system in distress, highlighting the urgent need for reform and support.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story as officials work to address the crisis at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre.
