HEALTH watchdogs praised the endurance of patients who waited “way beyond” the four-hour target time in the Royal Gwent Hospital’s A&E unit during a recent busy period.

But they have warned that solutions to rising accident and emergency attendances must be NHS-wide, and involve a degree of public education.

Members of Gwent’s Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council, the area’s independent patients’ watchdog, interviewed more than 100 patients at the hospital’s A&E unit during a number of visits early in April.

They followed an unannounced visit prompted by reports about the length of time and the conditions in which people were waiting.

A report of the findings describes people as “generally remarkably stoical”, saidCHC deputy chief officer David Kenny, many rating their experience as “good” despite lengthy waits, including on trolleys in corridors and overnight in waiting areas.

Staff were praised for their efforts in high-pressure circumstances.

A general surge in demand was detected across South- East Wales from the end of March into April, at one stage Gwent GPs being asked to avoid making hospital admissions where possible to ease the demand for beds.

The CHC report states this surge was more worrying for being outside the winter season, and set against a year-onyear rise in A&E attendances.

“Many patients were waiting way beyond 24 hours,”

states the report.

“In the Medical Admissions Unit waits of two days were not unusual.”

The CHC wants to see “better and earlier triage of patients requesting an ambulance”

to avoid unnecessary journeys to hospital.

Wales-wide and Gwent campaigns urging people to think about whether they need to go toA&Eare under way, and the CHC acknowledges that “public education may play a part in avoiding pressure on A&E departments”.

But the report also concludes that part of the demand may be based on public perception or experience that “timely alternatives” to the hospital do not exist.