Patients 'waiting up to 20 hours' for treatment without food and water at Swansea's Morriston Hospital, report finds
A report into one of Wales' busiest hospitals has found patients were waiting up to 20 hours for treatment - without access to water - and that equipment was out of date, dirty, and not maintained properly.
A Health Inspectorate Wales report into the emergency department and acute medical assessment unit at Swansea's Morriston Hospital found that patients were not receiving an "acceptable standard of safe and effective care."
In an unannounced inspection in January 2020, patients were found waiting "unacceptable periods of time" for treatment in the emergency department without access to food and water - and unable to sleep.
Many patients were found waiting for assessment or treatment in excess of 15 to 20 hours.
They said care within the emergency department was being affected by staff shortages and overcrowding.
Other concerns included "inconsistent maintenance and management of resuscitation equipment" after they found safety checks had not been done and stocks were missing.
Inspectors also found hazardous chemicals and sharp instruments within easy reach of patients and visitors.
They did, however, praise staff for "continuously working hard to deliver care under very difficult and highly pressurised circumstances."
The chief operating officer for Swansea Bay University Health Board apologised to patients for "less than optimal care" and said many of the issues raised has already been addressed.
Chris White said: “This has been a difficult report to read, but one which we welcome. It brings into sharp focus the improvements which we readily acknowledge must be made.
“The inspectors visited Morriston Hospital at one of its busiest times during a period of intense winter pressures. This does not excuse the shortcomings they found. But it does call attention to the fundamental need for major changes in the way we manage the flow and care of our emergency patients.
“It is not acceptable for patients - or staff - to be in such a highly pressurised environment, and there must be a better way. But this is not just a problem for Morriston Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) and Acute Medical Admissions Unit (AMAU) to tackle. This needs a whole systems approach across all our acute care services, with all our hospitals and community based services working as one team.
“Plans are now well underway for a total overhaul of our acute medical services, and we will shortly be taking these to the public for their views.”
The health board say the waiting times in the emergency department have improved and they are working hard to reduce staff vacancies with a "significant number of nurses" set to join.