Alison O'Connor: How sick is our health system that people are afraid to go to hospital?

The latest crisis has done psychological harm to the public and health service staff alike — and hope is in short supply

In a recent survey, 72% of respondents said they would only attend a hospital A&E if their life depended on it. Picture: Victoria Jones/PA

Abandon hope all ye who enter here. Is it an out-of-season Halloween warning, or the attitude to arm yourself with upon entering one of our hospital emergency departments?

Last week was the worst on record for trolley numbers in hospitals, with 931 people waiting for beds. The already very damaged reputation of our hospital system has taken a further battering.