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Forum: Healthcare ambassadors in hospital waiting areas not practical

I refer to the letter

I refer to the letter (Dec 25). The writer’s suggestion may not solve the problem as every patient will genuinely feel they require immediate attention. It can be challenging to prioritise patients having similar ailments like fever or mobility issues. It’s also possible that some will take advantage of the situation. Helpers fetching patients suffering from dementia or stroke may be disadvantaged as they may not be in a position to answer queries. Healthcare ambassadors could also be subjected to abuse. There are patients who get agitated because they are genuinely in need of urgent attention. But some healthcare workers may not be aware of the situation and remain indifferent. One suggestion would be to train them to spot patients who need such urgent attention. This can be done with the aid of CCTV. Patients should also be socially responsible, giving priority to others needing urgent attention. This could help address abuse against healthcare workers.