IF DR Brian Gibbons wants to see the true extent of problems faced by patients and staff in Wales' accident and emergency departments, he must visit the Royal Gwent Hospital on a Monday.

That is the challenge from a member of the hospital's A&E staff, whose description of the situation there on Monday should make worrying reading for the Assembly's new health and social services minister.

Dr Gibbons has pledged to visit all of Wales' A&E departments in the aftermath of Monday's difficulties.

The Royal Gwent, and Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, were forced to close to all non-serious patients for several hours because of a lack of beds.

At one point 11 of the 17 emergency ambulances covering Gwent were held up at the Royal Gwent and the staff member, a nurse who did not wish to be named, said the situation got so bad an emergency call from Gaer, Newport, barely half a mile away, had to be answered by an ambulance from Nevill Hall.

"The situation is dire on Mondays. Eleven ambulances outside is getting to be the norm and I would guarantee Brian Gibbons will not come on a Monday," he said.

"He ought to, but any visit will be scheduled for what they hope will be a quieter time."

The nurse hopes to leave soon, after ten years in the NHS, and said others with much longer service had already quit.

"Staff morale is very low. We've been losing nurses who have been here for 20 years," he said.

"There are lots of vacancies (25 per cent, according to a Gwent Healthcare Trust report from last November), and a lot of agency staff on most shifts. One morning last week there were six agency staff out of a shift of 11 on A&E.

"On Monday they had to open the day surgery unit as a ward for medical patients, and for one emergency call on the Gaer the nearest available ambulance was at Nevill Hall.

"This is nothing to do with those on the ground, doctors, nurses, ambulance crews.

"It is frustrating for everyone trying to do their best for the patients, but it feels like a third-class service."