My 84-year-old friend, having fallen at the communal mail box and then again when he fell backward in his garage was rushed to University Hospital in London yesterday afternoon. Although the ambulance rushed, the rushing all stopped once he arrived at the hospital. There were eight ambulances there at the same time waiting for their patients to be admitted. Once he was taken to the emergency department, he began receiving care, but still had to wait for a doctor. This was not the doctors' or nurses' fault. They were being run off their feet. My friend's x-rays revealed that he suffered from a broken knee and arm.
He was to have been given a room as soon as one was available last night. But he was still in the emergency department at noon today. His broken arm is now black and blue, his nose might also have been broken and his knee is causing severe pain. He is receiving pain-killers and care, but that is not the point. Why doesn't he have a room by now?
A nurse in the triage department told me last night that this problem had intensified since the St. Joseph's Urgent Care Centre had been forced to reduce its operating hours.
A homemade sign in the triage emergency area last night read: "Feb. 24, 2011, Average Waiting Time for non-life threatening injuries/illness is now 4.5 hours. Than you for your patience, ER Staff."
There are many reasons for this to have happened. And it is happening to others right now. Who to blame? The Ontario Liberal Government is calling the shots these days. I am asking Deb Matthews, our local MPP to read this blog as well as the MPPs of the Conservative and NDP. And for extra measure, I'll ask Premier Dalton McGuinty. I will report to you on this blog once I receive a response or even if I don't.--Irvine Brace
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