Management to blame

Ann Schenk, director of service development for the Bolton Hospitals' NHS Trust, stated that in general waiting times are being reduced and anyone waiting that long (four hours), it would be for a doctor who was in another department until he was available.

Since the article I have had several phone calls from people who have experienced similar experiences as the one I referred to in the meeting. All minor accidents, two stitches - cut finger; one broken finger; one sprained ankle; one other - one stitch. These are very minor injuries (important to the person concerned). Three to young children, one to an elderly lady who incidentally arrived at 11pm and arrived home at 4am Sunday morning. One of these cases was when A and E was very slack.

The nurses and doctors are certainly not to blame - they are working under constant pressure with long hours. I well understand the situation. My daughter is a nurse.

The fault lies with Management and the systems in operation within the A and E.

Over the last few years at the Royal Infirmary you were seldom in A and E for more than 1-1 hours and afterwards in the appointment system in and out of the hospital within -U hours.

Everyone agrees there will be teething problems on the new site, but with the influx of more public the waiting system needs to be looked at seriously.

People need to know where they are in the queue - know which person they follow - instead of keep asking 'Am I after you'. It's the nursing staff who on the receiving end of people's frustrations.

The public understand, and I certainly do, that serious cases and emergencies, obviously do come first and will accept delay in those situations.

But in a new hospital, new department, we should not be going backwards to the long, long waiting problems that we had in years gone by, at the Royal Infirmary.

Prentice Howarth, Burnden Ward Councillor

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