A&E After Dark
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A&E After Dark: Viewers fuming as patient with needle phobia discharges himself

They accused him of wasting the doctors' time

Channel 5 viewers were furious last night watching a patient on documentary series A&E After Dark refuse treatment because of his massive phobia of needles.

During last night’s (Monday, June 15) episode, a 39-year-old man named Ricky was brought in with a serious head injury.

He was covered in blood as he lay on a bed at Hull Royal Infirmary while medical staff examined his wounds, sustained after putting his head through a window.

What happened in last night’s episode?

A&E After Dark
Ricky had a serious head injury (Credit: Channel 5)

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While they checked him over, he made his fear of needles clear.

“You’re not stitching me are you?” he asked the nurses, who assured him they would not be using any needles without asking him first.

After a CT scan, he refused to let the doctors take a blood sample, which they needed to check his blood count.

A&E After Dark
The patient was terrified of needles (Credit: Channel 5)

“You’re not putting nowt in my veins mate,” he insisted. “I’m sorry, you are not putting nowt in my veins. I don’t care what you say. You’re not putting no needle near me.”

Ricky threatened to walk away and shortly after, he followed up on his promise by storming out, trying to flee the hospital while his angry partner demanded he stay.

Spend your time on someone who appreciates your efforts.

A member of staff also caught up with him and told him to remain in hospital, but he was having none of it.

A&E After Dark
Viewers were fuming at him for wasting the hospital staff’s time (Credit: Channel 5)

Viewers later learned that Ricky discharged himself the following day. His wounds healed without medical staff having to use any needles.

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A number of those watching at home were fuming as the scenes played out.

How did viewers react?

One said on Twitter: “Can’t bear people like this [bleep] on A&E After Dark. Stop wasting everyone’s time and get the treatment you need. They could be dealing with people who are desperately ill instead of following you up and down the corridor. INFURIATING.”

They added in a separate tweet: “It must be so hard when people behave like that. I don’t know how they have the patience!”

Another said: “It’s pathetic attention seeking. He had no intention of leaving. I’d have told him to get lost but then again I’m not in the medical profession.”

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A third agreed, suggesting: “Just let him go and spend your time on someone who appreciates your efforts. I don’t know how they put up with it.”

Someone else tweeted, along with a string of fuming emojis: “I guess we just have an NHS full of caring people. People like him make me so angry.”

– A&E After Dark continues Monday (June 22) at 9pm on Channel 5

What did you think of last night’s episode? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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