"5 star staff - but where are the beds?"

At 2pm on a weekday, as instructed by members of the cardiology team, we took my 93-year-old father to A&E to check a physical anomaly following a recent minor operation at the Royal Sussex. 24 hours later following the required checkup, blood tests and urgent treatment for a secondary condition, we left - after 19 hours in an A&E cubicle, 3 more hours in a corridor still undergoing a transfusion and, finally, 2 hours in the haven of a bed on a day ward. The staff we met: consultants, registrar, junior doctors, nurses, ward assistants and catering crew: were all superbly professional, giving efficiently first-class attention and care - but embarrassed by the overcrowded conditions which caused two A&E 'Major' units to convert overnight to emergency care wards where every bed was full, every seat in the waiting area taken by someone awaiting a cubicle trolley and a queue of ambulances outside that could not discharge sick patients. Goodness knows what happened to anyone else who dialled 999 for an ambulance that evening! Apparently every bed and trolley in the hospital were occupied because - pertinent in the light of current news - many patients could not go home as there is no/insufficient social care to support them after discharge. One member of staff said that every night is the same and that the situation is unlikely to change for four years. I do hope, for all our sakes, that the dedicated and professional medical and allied care staff at the Royal Sussex will remain in post and motivated to endure this almost-impossible situation for so long. I applaud you all!