Professor John Robertson OBA

From BBC Kent today:

Frail patients ‘told to soil themselves’ at A&E – Frail patients at a Kent hospital emergency department were “told to soil themselves” because there was no one to take them to the toilet, staff have said.Patients at the Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham faced waits of more than 50 hours with no access to wash facilities, with some left “sitting in their own faeces“, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was told.

An inspection by the CQC in February 2024 rated the emergency department as “requires improvement” and issued a warning notice for breaches of health and social care regulations. One patient said they “had been left sitting in their own faeces all day because there was no one available to help”. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3yk1lv9qgo

‘Requires improvement?’ English, eh?

That’s not even the half of it – read at the link, if you can bear it.

What does the Government have to say about this? Nothing. The Health Secretary, Wes Streeting? Nothing. Local MP, Naushabah Khan? Nothing. BBC Kent only speak to Jayne Black, chief executive of the Medway NHS Foundation Trust.

Imagine that in Scotland? Imagine Jackie Baillie’s rant? Sandesh Gulhane?

Even when the news is not-so-bad, as in January 2023:

Scotland’s A&E waiting times at best rate since May last year

with not a trace of faeces or even 50 hour waits:

The Scottish Conservatives health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the improvement was due to the efforts of his “burnt out colleagues on the frontline”. The GP added: “It is down to their dedication that figures finally appear to be heading in the right direction.

“However, Humza Yousaf should not get ahead of himself. Our NHS remains in a critical state on his watch. Cancer waiting times are at record levels and close to 800,000 Scots are on an NHS waiting list.” Dr Gulhane also criticised the SNP for what he said was its failure to eradicate delayed discharge and urged Mr Yousaf not to be complacent, despite the upturn in A&E stats. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64467830

Then when the news was bad, as in Scotland’s A&E waiting times worst on record in September 2022, though still no faeces, we get all three:

Dr Gulhane, Scottish Tory health spokesman, said the figures were extremely alarming for patients and staff because excess delays lead to avoidable deaths.

“It’s especially concerning that these worst-ever stats come well ahead of the traditional winter peak demand in A&E,” he said.

“The health secretary can’t ignore these dire stats. He must come up with an alternative strategy to tackle this crisis in Scotland’s NHS, as his flimsy Covid Recovery Plan clearly isn’t working.”

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said the “ridiculous” lengths of waits for emergency care would cost lives.

“If we are to avoid a full-blown humanitarian crisis this winter then the government must act now,” she said.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said emergency care was “overwhelmed” and staff were at their “wits’ end”, adding that the Scottish government’s NHS recovery plan had “failed”. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-62969233

This difference is planned and managed by the news editor.