I ATTENDED the A&E department on Sunday, September 6, and was there for around four hours, most of it waiting in minor injuries and X-ray.

I should say, first of all, that the staff were outstanding in every way.

They were understaffed and over stretched, working 14-hour shifts, but remained cheerful, professional and caring.

In the minor injuries waiting area, a trolley was supplied with masks, sanitiser and wipes.

No-one who came into the hospital used the sanitiser on entering or leaving, a few wore masks, several with them under their chins, and some wore no masks at all.

The only person who used the ones on the trolley was a patient who helped himself to a few on the way out.

The staff could not intervene, if they had done so they would have done nothing else.

A cleaner worked continuously, but keeping up with frequent cleaning of the whole department was beyond one person.

The staff are working in these conditions day in and day out.

The hospital buildings are old, decrepit and well past their replacement date.

Social distancing is not possible in some cramped areas.

The brilliant nurse who wheeled me to the main reception struggled to find a safe place to park me.

There was nothing she could do, she was doing above and beyond already.

But perhaps there was something I could do, which is why I am writing to the Guardian.

I do not blame the staff or management – they are over worked and under resourced, doing the very best they can in difficult circumstances.

The patients attending A&E seemed to have given up on Covid protocols, with their lack of clarity and growing confusion, and people who are sick or injured do not always prioritise following the rules.

I would be most grateful if people could write to their MPs to help bring these issues to the attention of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, hold those responsible to account and support the staff at Warrington Hospital.

LYNN CAMPBELL Knutsford