A&E departments are here to help you if you have a life-threatening health concern
A Royal Derby Hospital patient who suffered a cardiac arrest whilst being treated in A&E has praised staff in the department for saving her life with their quick actions.
Glenys Gallagher was rushed to hospital by her family after showing symptoms of a heart attack and this decision to not hesitate but to come straight to A&E ultimately saved her life.
As soon as she arrived in A&E, Glenys went into cardiac arrest whilst being assessed, but was thankfully in the right place at the right time when this happened and was taken straight to Theatres to undergo life-saving emergency heart surgery.
She said: “It was just a normal day for me, but then I started getting chest pain which went into my arm, so my son-in-law dropped me off at A&E.
“The staff were amazing and saw me straight away, and whilst the nurse was giving me an ECG, I had a cardiac arrest right there on the table.
“Thankfully, I was in the right place at the right time, and I am so grateful to the staff, because if it wasn’t for them, my children wouldn’t have a mother. I owe them my life.”
It is essential that A&E departments have the capacity to rapidly respond to patients who have genuine life-threatening health issues, such as heart concerns, as opposed to minor injuries or conditions that can be seen at other NHS services.
You should always call 999, or come straight to A&E, if you or someone else shows signs of a heart attack, stroke, or has another potentially life-threatening health concern, such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, or severe bleeding that can’t be stopped.
However, if you have an urgent but non-life-threatening medical concern and aren’t sure which NHS service you need to access, you can get quick advice over the phone from a fully trained adviser on what you need to do next by calling 111 or visiting 111 Online.
Alternatively, you can also attend one of the five Urgent Treatment Centres across Derbyshire, or the Minor Injuries Units in Tamworth or Lichfield for treatments for breaks, cuts, and other minor injuries.
Get more information about NHS services available to you in an emergency >