Tue, 14 Mar 2017 21:30 Y Byd ar Bedwar

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-Welsh Accident & Emergency units

-are under pressure.

-There is constant criticism from

-patients waiting to be treated.

-15 hours in the hospital.

-The best part of 12 hours

-in the cubicle.

-The Red Cross has described

-the situation in the NHS...

-..as a humanitarian crisis.

-We hear from one doctor who says

-the situation in Wales is pitiful.

-There is such a lack of funding

-in Wales compared to England.

-I told someone,

-"I feel like I'm working in Africa."

-Does it fill you with fear...

-..when you hear a doctor

-speaking in those terms?

-I recognise it's a difficult job

-on the frontline.

-There's huge pressure on people.

-Every Welsh health board refused our

-request to film in their hospitals.

-Tonight, we join families

-calling on emergency departments...

-..to get better soon.

-Three and a half, almost four hours.

-We haven't seen a doctor yet.

-We'll be waiting a while.

-St George's Hospital, London.

-This is one of Britain's

-busiest A&E departments.

-It's just after 7.00am

-on a Sunday morning.

-Dr Rhys Beynon

-has just started his shift.

-It's busy, Rhys.

-It's busy, Rhys.

-

-Mmm!

-It's a normal day in A&E.

-This actually isn't really busy.

-Within minutes, a patient

-is rushed in after a car accident.

-Neck injury, high speed.

-Dr Rhys Beynon is responsible for

-directing care for all patients...

-..over the next eight hours.

-It's a bit like having an orchestra

-and I'm the conductor.

-I'm making sure that everything's

-working as one department.

-Let me have a look at her throat

-once we have a line in.

-Rhys, originally from

-the Vale of Glamorgan...

-..has been in St George's

-since 2012.

-He previously worked in Cardiff.

-He can see a difference in care

-between England and Wales.

-We don't keep people in ambulances,

-we get them in.

-It's more of a problem in Wales.

-The trolley waits in London are

-a lot less than they were in Wales.

-To meet Government targets,

-95% of patients arriving at A&E...

-..should be seen within four hours.

-In January, only 85% of patients

-were seen within the target time...

-..in England.

-Very rarely do we have anyone

-in A&E for more than 12 hours.

-That's one of our targets.

-In Wales, there are constant

-complaints about waiting times.

-Just before Christmas, Magi Buck

-received a late-night phone call...

-..summoning her

-to Morriston Hospital.

-Her 92-year-old mother

-was seriously ill.

-Mam was one of the sweetest, most

-tender people you could ever meet.

-She'd had dementia

-since she was 90 years old.

-She'd become very hesitant.

-She kept thinking that people

-were in the house at night...

-..taking drugs,

-she was worried about everything.

-Magi drove from Cardiff

-to the hospital near Swansea.

-When she arrived

-at the A&E department...

-..there was no sign of her mother.

-When we arrived,

-Mam was still in the ambulance.

-We went in to A&E to ask

-if Menna Thomas had arrived.

-There was no sign of her there.

-They said, "Would you go out

-and check the ambulances.

-"Knock on the door and see

-if she's in one of the ambulances."

-Mam was in the last one we checked.

-She never found out how long her

-mother had been in the ambulance.

-Another two hours passed before

-her mother was taken into A&E.

-She looked angry and worried.

-It's hard to describe, really.

-Someone with that condition

-can't tell you how they feel...

-..or what's hurting them.

-Her suffering wasn't over.

-She was moved back

-to the ambulance again...

-..before being transferred

-to a trolley for 24 hours.

-Magi praises the standard of

-medical care her mother received...

-..but the delay left a bitter taste.

-For someone who was so weak

-and confused...

-..it's hard when you're taken out

-of familiar surroundings.

-To go from an ambulance to a ward,

-back to an ambulance...

-..and back to a different place,

-then being moved to another ward...

-..only for someone to decide

-you can go home again...

-..it was bound to have

-a negative effect on her.

-On February 1, 2017,

-Menna Thomas passed away.

-She was 92 years old.

-In response to what happened

-to Menna Thomas...

-..a spokesperson for Abertawe Bro

-Morgannwg University Health Board...

-..said that in some instances...

-..patients return to the ambulance

-after being assessed.

-According to the spokesperson...

-..this happens when patients

-with complex problems...

-..put emergency departments

-under pressure.

-The Board wanted to apologise

-to patients...

-..who've had to wait

-in A&E departments.

-They say that winter is a busy time

-for hospitals throughout Britain.

-Menna Thomas

-isn't the only family member...

-..to have had a bad experience

-in an A&E department.

-Her granddaughter, Gwenllian Hill,

-has a long list of grievances...

-..about the Heath Hospital

-in Cardiff.

-Hiya.

-Hiya.

-

-Come in.

-It's like a warzone.

-I dread to think about myself

-or my family going to A&E.

-I don't think they're coping.

-It's a dangerous place.

-Gwenllian

-has an autoimmune disease...

-..which causes

-serious breathing difficulties.

-She attends A&E regularly.

-In August last year,

-she had her worst experience there.

-I've waited more than 20 hours

-to be seen before now.

-Then I was eventually admitted

-to the ward.

-Even when I've been on a trolley,

-I've been there for two days before.

-It's not comfortable,

-it's not ideal.

-It's cold.

-It's just a nightmare.

-According to the Cardiff and Vale

-University Health Board...

-..some patients wait longer

-during the winter.

-The Heath has the best performing

-A&E department in Wales.

-Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon.

-Colwyn Bay actor James Lusted...

-..is rehearsing his latest show.

-Biting the babies in their cots.

-On January 4,

-he waited for 15 hours...

-..in Glan Clwyd's A&E department

-in Bodelwyddan...

-..when his wife had complained

-of pain in her side.

-We were in A&E

-and we were in a small cubicle.

-I'd say, usually...

-..only three people were meant

-to be in this blinkin' cubicle.

-There were seven or eight of us

-in there.

-We didn't move from the cubicle

-for about 12 hours.

-Chloe Lusted didn't find out

-what had caused the pain...

-..since there was some confusion

-when she was transferred for a scan.

-They returned home

-without an answer.

-We were there for 15 hours.

-We still don't know

-what's wrong with Chloe...

-..why she was in pain -

-she's had it again since then.

-We're almost two months

-down the line.

-Is it acceptable? I don't think so.

-Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board

-apologised to Chloe Lusted...

-..for the delays in Glan Clwyd's

-A&E department during her visit.

-A spokesperson said that

-every patient at the department...

-..is assessed on arrival.

-Treatments depend

-on clinical priorities.

-James Lusted says that the

-department was packed that night.

-The pressure on the staff

-was evident.

-I could see that the nurses were

-stressed, they were under pressure.

-They weren't falling out...

-..but sometimes, you could see

-the temperature rising.

-"Why haven't you done this?

-Why haven't you done that?"

-It's lunchtime in St George's.

-It's busy in the A&E department.

-Because of the pressure...

-..Dr Rhys Beynon

-struggles to find time to eat.

-I have to eat,

-otherwise I can't think straight.

-Usually, I try to eat a sandwich

-when I'm on the move.

-On the move,

-he has an emergency call.

-A patient's had a heart attack

-while running.

-The paramedics and hospital staff

-do everything they can...

-..but he can't be saved.

-He's been in cardiac arrest

-for an hour and a half.

-Time of death is twelve o'clock

-on the dot.

-Rhys Beynon has worked as a doctor

-for over 15 years.

-Cases like this still affect him.

-When it's unexpected...

-..he was a young, fit man...

-..and now he's not with us anymore.

-That reality, it never

-gets easier to deal with it.

-Not at all.

-Difficult?

-Difficult?

-

-Yes, it is difficult.

-Can you stop filming?

-In Part 2, doctors give us a view

-of the frontline in Welsh hospitals.

-We've heard about trollies

-in corridors...

-..ambulances queuing up

-outside A&E departments.

-Is that a regular event?

-Yes, but where can you put them?

-They either stay in the ambulance

-or you put them in a corridor.

-We see first hand the effects of

-delays at under pressure hospitals.

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-Subtitles

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-It's 2.00pm on a Sunday afternoon.

-St George's Hospital's

-A&E department is packed.

-Consultant doctor Rhys Beynon

-is hard at work.

-We have 71 patients

-in the department.

-That's quite a lot at this time.

-We expect it to get busier

-this afternoon.

-Hiya, sorry.

-He's called away to treat a baby.

-Has he had sticky eyes, I believe.

-Is that right?

-How many days has he had that for?

-Since he was born?

-OK.

-The baby had a cold.

-Less serious cases like this add to

-the pressure on our A&E departments.

-Part of my job is treating people

-who need treatment.

-If that means you come to A&E,

-that's what has to happen.

-It puts us under more pressure.

-St George's Hospital

-has missed the Government targets...

-..of treating 95% of patients

-within four hours.

-This A&E department's average

-was 87% in January.

-Since December,

-the pressure has increased.

-We're between 85% and 90%.

-Compared to figures in Wales,

-that's quite good...

-..but for us, it's not good.

-We wanted to see

-doctors at work in Wales too...

-..but every health board refused us

-permission to film in A&E.

-It's 8.00am and I'm on my way

-to Merthyr Tydfil...

-..to meet a doctor coming off

-a night-shift in an A&E department.

-Dr Dai Samuel

-agreed to meet me in his home.

-He's willing

-to share his experiences...

-..of working in a busy

-A&E department in Wales.

-He considers comparing the service

-in Wales with England as unfair.

-I wouldn't say

-there's a crisis in Wales...

-..but the problems we have

-are a little different.

-We're dealing

-with different social problems.

-I don't accept that Wales

-is performing worse than England.

-The Welsh and Westminster

-governments believe...

-..targets should inspire

-health boards to perform better.

-For Dai Samuel,

-that's not always true.

-The four-hour target creates

-more problems than it solves.

-All people think about,

-especially during busy periods...

-.."Oh, we'll go over four hours.

-"Let's get them into the hospital.

-Let's get them into a ward."

-That might not be beneficial

-for the patient.

-It might be better

-to wait five hours...

-..and then make a decision -

-do they need to be in hospital?

-In August, Celyn Kenny

-moved to Wales to work...

-..after a period working

-in the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

-Her first day back in Wales

-was an eye-opener for her.

-I had a shock when I returned.

-In England, there's an emphasis

-on electronic data.

-Patient observations

-are all kept on a computer.

-We use paper in Wales.

-I told someone,

-"I feel like I'm working in Africa."

-The sad thing is

-I was only over the border in Wales.

-There is such a lack of funding

-in Wales compared to England.

-The Welsh Government's budget

-for Health, Sport and Welfare...

-..is over 7bn.

-An additional 240m has been

-earmarked for the health service...

-..for the next financial year.

-I don't think the Welsh

-health service is inferior...

-..but the financial situation

-isn't the best.

-It's obvious where money

-has been invested in England...

-..compared to Wales.

-Dr Kenny now works in a ward

-caring for new-born babies.

-She's spent periods working in A&E.

-By now, she's opted out

-of working in emergency department.

-It can be horrific.

-It can be lonely.

-It can also be dangerous for you.

-Many times I've told myself...

-.."Right,

-I need to take a step back."

-Not only have I've been tired,

-I've been in a vulnerable state.

-I've been worried about things

-instead of sorting out problems.

-You're under so much pressure.

-In December 2016, Morriston

-Hospital's A&E department...

-..had the worst

-waiting time figures in Wales.

-Back then, 59.9% of patients

-were treated within four hours.

-The Welsh Government's target

-is 95%.

-We asked Abertawe Bro Morgannwg

-University Health Board...

-..for permission to film

-in Morriston but they refused...

-..along with every other

-health board.

-We decided to chronicle patient

-experiences in A&E on our phones.

-In Morriston one afternoon,

-we met a woman who'd been waiting...

-..more than four hours

-with her 81-year-old mother.

-She fell in the house

-and had done something to her foot.

-She had X-rays

-about three hours ago.

-We're still waiting for the doctor.

-Another man,

-who didn't want to be recognised...

-..said he'd been waiting there

-all night...

-..with his daughter

-who'd been seriously injured.

-We've been here since about

-ten, eleven o'clock last night.

-Three, four hours before she saw

-someone who just came long...

-..and spent less than a minute.

-She hasn't seen a doctor today.

-In January,

-in Glan Clwyd Hospital...

-..66% of patients

-were seen within four hours.

-There,

-we met Mair Edwards and her son...

-..who'd been waiting for an X-ray

-for four hours.

-They were told that the waiting

-time was longer than that.

-Six hours. We're hoping

-to be seen within the next hour.

-We've been looking around the room.

-In a way,

-we're fortunate to have the service.

-She was worried her son had

-broken ribs during a rugby match.

-Two hours later,

-they were both waiting.

-Since we last spoke,

-we haven't moved.

-I can't see many doctors around.

-I don't know if they're busy

-with the ambulances outside.

-By 3.00am, they'd been waiting there

-for six hours.

-The mother was told the best place

-for her son was home.

-He hasn't had an X-ray yet.

-If he needs an X-ray,

-we might be here for hours.

-The sensible thing to do is

-to go home and come back tomorrow.

-In Scotland in December,

-93% of people were treated...

-..within four hours

-in A&E departments.

-Wales performed worse

-than Scotland and England.

-I asked the Welsh Government

-what steps were being taken.

-Why is Wales lagging behind?

-We've seen different reasons

-for this.

-Our population is poorer, sicker

-and older compared to England.

-We have a different model,

-they have more walk-in centres.

-For me, it's recognising that

-we're in a comparable situation.

-Our challenge is

-how do we get ahead of that?

-How do we do something about

-the numbers of sick older people...

-..that come into

-our A&E departments?

-How do we keep more

-of those people at home?

-How do we provide

-a good experience of care?

-We've spoken to a junior doctor who

-moved from a hospital in England?

-She says the service

-is under-resourced.

-She claimed

-it was like working in Africa.

-Does it worry you

-to hear her speaking like that?

-To try to compare this

-to a Third World health system...

-..really doesn't do any justice

-to the high quality healthcare...

-..we receive in this country.

-I've visited Uganda and I've seen

-the reality of what takes place...

-..in those countries with an

-under-developed healthcare system.

-It's nothing like the NHS.

-Over the winter, the pressure on A&E

-departments have hit the headlines.

-According to one doctor

-working in A&E...

-..the headlines don't always

-tell the full story.

-We hear about trollies in corridors,

-ambulances queuing outside.

-Is this a common occurrence?

-Yes, but it's completely natural

-for it to happen.

-If there are 200 beds in the

-hospital and they're all taken...

-..and 20 ambulances turn up

-at a hospital with only 10 beds...

-..where are you going to put them?

-You keep them in the ambulance

-or you put them in the corridor.

-It's not the best course of action

-but they need to go somewhere.

-According to one Welsh doctor...

-..the public should think

-before heading to A&E...

-..to avoid scenes like this.

-I really think that the reason

-any A&E struggles...

-..and you can see it

-in front of you...

-..no staff, no resources.

-People turn up to A&E

-when they don't need to be there.

-I don't think people have been

-educated properly about A&Es.

-In London,

-Rhys Beynon's shift is over.

-His roots are in Wales but the state

-of the NHS in Wales right now...

-..doesn't entice him

-to return home to work.

-It makes me sad.

-I have family back in Wales.

-If I knew that my father had to sit

-in an ambulance for eight hours...

-..before he could

-get into an A&E department...

-..that would break my heart.

-Next week, Welsh language

-education in Llangennech.

-The community rebelling over

-the language of the local school.

-I don't feel safe

-in this community anymore.

-If I could move house, I would.

-Is Carmarthenshire's language policy

-dividing communities?

-Y Byd Ar Bedwar,

-next Tuesday night on S4C.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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