Patients at a hospital A & E department are being forced to parade details of their conditions on laminated signs . They are assessed by staff when they arrive , then given a red card if their illness is serious or a green one for less urgent issues , with a two or three-word summary of their ailment . These are designed to speed up staff assessments as patients wait for treatment , but the trial scheme has been described as ‘ insensitive ’ and like ‘ a police line-up ’ . Elizabeth Reid , 49 , has criticised a hospital after she was forced to wear a sign detailing her condition while waiting for treatment . It means those with alcohol , mental health and gynaecological problems , and others who might prefer to keep their conditions private , could be at risk of losing patient confidentiality . Elizabeth Reid , 49 , said she was appalled when she went to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford , Essex , and was given a green card detailing her ankle injury after she was assessed by a nurse . ‘ I didn ’ t mind much for me as I had hurt my ankle , ’ she added . ‘ But I thought it was disgusting that patients with alcohol problems or mental health issues had to carry cards that showed everyone what was wrong with them. ’ The mother of five from Chelmsford has complained to hospital bosses about the scheme . She said for those ‘ carrying signs saying they had alcohol problems , it just smacked of them being marked out – it was like a police line-up ’ . Mrs Reid added : ‘ The poor man in front of me was looking after his teenage daughter , who had alcohol poisoning , and everyone could see what was wrong with her . ‘ I could see why every single person in the queue was there – and we had to wait in a line that went past lots of people sitting down waiting , so they could all see what was wrong with us too . It ’ s really poor for patient confidentiality. ’ Hospital bosses at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford , Essex , said it was designed to speed up staff assessments . She suggested it would be possible to obscure the details written on the cards , leaving the colour visible for staff , but said patients coming into A & E might be too distressed or distracted to think of doing this . ‘ The people who come in are panicking or in pain , ’ she added . ‘ They could see anyone they know as it ’ s a local hospital , and they have to carry these cards showing what ’ s wrong with them. ’ Another woman who visited the hospital said : ‘ I had a laminated card and actually laughed at the insensitivity . I had a very negative experience , having just moved here from another county , and as a nurse myself was quite disheartened with the overall care I received at a sensitive time to myself and my family. ’ The trust responsible for the hospital has defended the scheme , saying it will lead to quicker assessment times . The trial scheme has been described as ‘ insensitive ’ and like ‘ a police line-up ’ ( picture posed by models ) Dr Donald McGeachy , medical director of the Mid-Essex Clinical Commissioning Group , said : ‘ We ’ d ask people to bear in mind that the new reception arrangements at Broomfield Hospital are part of a pilot scheme that is being developed and constantly refined . ‘ We want to provide patients arriving at A & E with a rapid assessment so they can be seen by the right clinical service at the right time . At the moment , people arriving at Broomfield will be assessed by a nurse and either referred on for emergency medical help or redirected to see their own GP . ‘ The new area that has been set up within the hospital entrance mirrors the main reception and pays the same regard to patient confidentiality . ‘ The information patients are being asked to provide on arrival is the same as when they book into the A & E reception , with the difference that they are rapidly assessed and directed to the right service for them . ‘ We are not aware of any complaints about the pilot scheme . ’
Patients at each Hospital are given a card with signs of ailment . The card is red if their illness is serious or green for less urgent reasons . Hospital bosses said it was designed to speed up staff morale . But this scheme was described as ‘ insensitive ’ and like ‘ a police line - up '