'˜Staff are amazing, the government is to blame for the state of the NHS'

The Vic managed to see just 40.1 per cent of patients turning up at A&E within four hours in December compared to the national average of 77.3 per cent. No other trust was below 57 per cent.

More than one in seven of all patients forced to wait more than 12 hours in A&E across England last month were in Blackpool.

Only Bristol left more people waiting for half a day than the resort’s 75.

While many blamed the Government for underfunding the NHS, many questioned why Blackpool was significantly worse than any other NHS Trust in the country.

Others said people who go to A&E unnecessarily should be charged.

It prompted Wendy Swift, chief executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to say: “We have been undertaking extensive work to stream non-emergency patients into more appropriate settings such as our walk-in centres and our urgent care centre, working with local GPs.

“That means the most acutely ill patients with complex needs are treated in the emergency department and they need more care and attention from our senior clinical teams prior to admission to ensure they get the best possible care.

“We are also increasing our communications about the importance of the general public having their flu vaccinations as soon as possible as we have seen flu figures rising in the last few days with a rise in attendances expected over the next few weeks.

“I would like to assure you that all staff across the system are working tirelessly to provide the best possible care for patients in extremely challenging circumstances.”

Here’s the best of your comments.

It takes as long as long as it takes. It’s not the staff, it’s the morons sat in their ivory towers with private health care making all the cuts that are the problem.

The Vic has always been my choice of hospital. As I live in between two I have a choice.

The staff chase round like headless chickens for precious little reward.

Until the powers that be do something about it the feet on the ground will get the backlash

Michelle Thompson

We waited to see a consultant for nine hours on December 23.

This isn’t the staff’s fault and we made sure they knew that, it starts at government level and becoming medical staff being so difficult.

It is impossible to work, pay to live and to study as a nurse/doctor/midwife etc because of the shift work needed to fulfil your placements.

It was awful when we were there, triage was full to bursting with elderly on beds wall to wall. It was absolutely awful.

Very thankful to our BVH staff, the hospital is always clean and they looked after us brilliantly.

Even made us a cup of tea, and they really didn’t have to do that considering their workload.

Kelly Marcinko

What you’re forgetting is that Blackpool has one of the worst drug and alcohol rates in the country. This is bound to impact on hospital waiting times

Gemma Green

I waited eight hours twice, never mind four! I’ve never seen anything like it, it was chaos

Janey Wright

I went there with suicidal thoughts.

I was put on my own in a tiny room with just a chair.

By the time the mental health worker came I just felt like I was a burden. I lied and went home

Rebecca Fox

I was there last summer with my father and there were lots of visitors with sunburn.

I waited hours with him because of this.

In my opinion they should have told them to go and get some calamine lotion and stop wasting A&E resources.

June Palmer

A lot of people don’t seem to be able to think for themselves and use common sense.

Pamela Ingham

I’d like to know statistics of those who weren’t from the area, and those who were drug/drink related.

Then compare that to the amount of visitors we have every year which would give a more realistic picture.

Catherine Gilbert

Please don’t refer to people that are unable to be discharged safely due to a lack of social/community support as “bed blockers”.

It isn’t their fault that billions has been removed from the social care budget in the mistaken belief that austerity cuts work.

The fact that these poor people are costing much more to keep in hospital than it would to provide care for them in the community proves that it doesn’t.

Barbara Barrand

I think Blackpool Vic has the third busiest A & E in the country based on head per population.

Also Blackpool is in the top 10 most deprived areas in the country so it’s not surprising.

All the staff do an amazing job. You need to blame the Government for the state of the NHS

Andy Mason

Overworked understaffed and underpaid. I praise the staff at the Vic who work extremely hard in very difficult times.

Linda D’Arcy

Time wasters /drunks and spiceheads should be charged, all self inflicted.

Too many visitors who should be at a walk in. Too much cut from social care and mental health budget.

Government just put an elastoplast over a body full of fractures.

Jane Voss

Whether something is self inflicted or not, the professionals have a duty of care and have to treat everyone that needs it.

There is no denying people abuse the service but saying people who drink or do drugs should be charged is wrong.

They have as much right to free healthcare as anyone else does, self inflicted or not. Don’t blame the patients for the mess the Government caused.

Charlotte Hall