THE Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital at Cramlington has recently been putting out posts to alert the public that they are under pressure regarding the amount of people attending their Accident and Emergency department. (Courant, July 11)

The advice asks people to go to their nearest walk in centre if they are not in need of emergency care.

This hospital has found it difficult to cope from the start. It is getting worse.

The medical staff doctors and nurses are doing the best they can under sometimes extreme and difficult circumstances. I have seen this due to personal experiences over a long period of time.

The Accident and Emergency department often struggles to cope due to the amount of people, leading to lengthy waits of up to nine hours and longer to see a doctor.

These are people in A&E brought in by emergency ambulance not people sitting in the entrance who have come in themselves.

There are not enough beds for patients, this leads to the decision either admit or send home, with a long wait until a bed becomes available.

Those who are sent home to cope often return again as an emergency a short while later.

I have witnessed how others are suffering. I have others tell me of their experiences at NSECH which are not good.

As I said paramedics, nurses and doctors are doing a brilliant job under very difficult circumstances. It is the system. Many people believe putting three A&E services into one hasn’t worked and I agree.

The distance some people have to travel also leads to complications.

Sorry to be so negative but this hospital is struggling to cope. Resources are stretched.

JENNIFER MCGEE

Prudhoe