"No water offered or given in A&E"

No water seems to be offered in A&E anymore. 

From the point of arrival, it's become normal to not be offered water (or a hot drink) & to not receive water until being admitted & transferred to one of the Wards. 

When you are alone in A&E, especially out of hours, and particularly when attached to monitoring equipment, IV infusions, or are too unwell to mobilise, there is no means of the patient accessing refreshment themselves either. 

However, A&E staff can be clearly seen drinking at the desk within the Emergency Department. 

On many occasions, having not been offered any, I've politely asked staff for water. All of those I asked agreed to get some, but none actually returned with it. 

On one attendance, I asked 3 different members of staff for water, but still didn't receive any. 

One member of staff audibly tutted and rolled their eyes when I asked for water a 2nd time, having waited for around an hour after asking for the first time, knowing how busy staff are, and not wanting to be a nuisance, when they have far more important tasks to be getting on with. 

Since waiving the 4hr A&E waiting time target, it is not uncommon for me to be in the Emergency Department for anywhere between 4 & 8+ hours before being taken to a Ward, which is quite a long time considering that the majority of patients are acutely unwell, immobile, vulnerable, disorientated, in pain, tired and anxious. 

Compromised patients don't need to add dehydration to their woes. 

Given the very nature of an Emergency Department, it's highly likely that the majority of attenders were not expecting to find themselves attending A&E that day, and for that reason, are also not likely to have been in a position to plan ahead, to make sure they brought refreshments with them. 

Unfortunately, I'm not alone in this experience. I know several other patients who have said exactly the same. 

I don't understand why this problem exists, as it certainly never used to in my experience.