Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust apologises as it is forced to use non care spaces during "very challenging conditions"
A Portsmouth NHS trust has apologised to patients it has had to care for outside of “normal care spaces”, as a report reveals the struggles being faced in hospitals across the country.
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, which runs Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, issued the apology as staff continue to face “very challenging conditions”. A report by the Royal College of Nursing, released yesterday (January 16), provided a shocking insight into hospitals across the country with patients dying in corridors and emergency departments full.
The report by the RCN collated evidence from 5,000 of its members across the UK, publishing over 400 pages of testimony from nurses sharing their experiences of the problems that have been faced.
The testimony was anonymous and separated into regions, with members from the South East highlighting issues with patients being treated in corridors and in the middle of rooms. One testimony said they were “ashamed” to treat patients in those conditions with “no call bells, oxygen supply” or “privacy” in the extra care spaces being used.
A shortage of staff members and a lack of dignity for patients is also a common theme throughout the report. One South East RCN member stated that patients are being treated in “inhumane” conditions.
Data from NHS England and collated by The Telegraph shows the PHU is ranked 73 out of 118 trusts with 37 per cent of patients waiting more than four hours in A&E. The national average is 27.9 per cent.
A Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust spokesperson said: “Across the country the NHS is seeing high levels of demand for services and the latest RCN report highlights how staff are working in very challenging conditions to continue to provide the best care possible for patients.
“At PHU, our teams are working extremely hard to care for patients, adapting the care they provide to minimise the disruption to our services. Everyone is committed to providing safe, effective and compassionate care in the right setting and we are doing everything we can to maintain this for our patients. We are incredibly grateful to our staff for their tireless efforts and dedication to meeting the needs of our community.
“Unfortunately, due to the levels of demand and pressure we have on our services, we have needed to care for some patients outside of our normal care spaces and people have waited longer than we would like to access our services. We are sorry to our patients that have not received the high standards of care we would normally provide whilst we meet these demands.
“We are working with our health and social care partners to ensure patients are treated and cared for in the right place, in a timely way and receive the best possible care and experience.”
PHU have previously called for help from the public in stopping the spread of viruses, with a particularly bad flu season adding to the demand and challenging conditions.
The trust has now reiterated ways that the public can help alleviate the stress on services in the hospital. The spokesperson said:
“To help our teams, the local community can help us by:
- Only attending the Emergency Department if they have a life-threatening injury or illness – people who do not need to be cared for at the Emergency Department will be redirected to a more appropriate service.
- Helping get their loved one home if the decision has been made that they are ready to leave hospital. This includes arranging transport and making sure they have clothing to travel home in. More information on this can be found on our ‘Ready to Go’ website page.
- Use NHS 111 online or visit their local pharmacy if they need medical advice over the weekend or are unsure where to go.
“Thank you to our community for your support.”