'Low morale' in hospital's casualty revealed

From the Guardian Series, first published Wednesday 21st Feb 2001.

A FORMER employee at Leighton Hospital has revealed that staff are demoralised and morale is very low in the Accident and Emergency department.

The ex-employee, who does not wish to be identified, says junior doctors work in the department with little experience.

"It's like being in a nightmare, it's absolutely soul destroying. What people don't realise is how little cover we have," the ex-employee said.

"The main thing is the frustration among staff.

"Everybody, nursing staff, junior doctors and permanent staff feel so demoralised and fed up with the whole situation."

The revelations were prompted by our story two weeks ago when we told how a 12-year-old boy had to wait almost six hours because there was only ONE doctor covering the busy department.

Simon Yates, chief executive of Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust, admitted that things were difficult in A and E at the moment.

"During last year there was a further increase in the number of emergency admissions to the hospital and, when the beds are full, patients are held in the A and E department.

"These patients should be in beds and not in A and E," he said.

Mr Yates said that junior doctors change during the first week of August and the first week of February.

"They come into A and E for six month training and then carry on part of their training elsewhere.

"In the first few weeks there will be doctors taking up posts in A and E who may not have worked in the department before."

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