In a new series on the NHS, the Guardian will feature experiences of patients, their families and staff of treatment provided across east London and west Essex. As A&Es continue to struggle with demand and politicians argue over the future of healthcare, we will publish first-hand accounts, features and news stories on the latest developments. We want to hear from you if you have something to say about your local hospital, GP surgery, or clinic. Click here for contact details of reporters covering your area. Alternatively, you can submit a story here.

The first in the series features Waida Forman, who has for 23 years been a nurse at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, which serves Epping Forest. She is also a Labour councillor for Harlow and supports a strike by members of the union Unison planned for January 29.

“Princess Alexandra Hospital is not a bad hospital, the staff are stressed and tired but continue to work with passion and a smile on their face.

One of the biggest problems is that there are too many patients and not enough space.

We also have to get our 4 hour targets for patient’s waiting time in A&E.

The system has changed a lot throughout my 23 years here as nurse.

Under the previous Labour government money was invested people didn’t wait any longer than 18 weeks for an operation.

Under John Major people waited up to two years for a hip replacement.

The problems are not part of the staff they are part of the system.

Really, in my opinion every large town should have its own A&E.

Over the years a lot of hospitals have closed down their A&E departments

We need resources and money, from the government to enable us to provide a better service.

We get ambulances from as far as Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Stansted airport, the M11 and the M25.

If a big incident happens in one of these areas, I don’t know if we would cope.

I openly invite Jeremy Hunt the Health Secretary down here to come and have a shift as an auxiliary nurse for even an hour and see how hard we work.

We have had our pay frozen for four years now against the cost of inflation and they are talking about  weekend work may be considered at a flat rate.

We care about our patients, of course we care, but we have to live, we have children, mortgages  and bills to pay we can’t just live on fresh air.

The trouble is central Government don’t understand what poverty is like.

We are in the caring profession, we love what we do, but they are relying on our good will to save money.

They know we can’t walk away because everything will collapse.

Last week a patient from Hull was in A&E after falling ill in Stansted Airport.

She told me  'This is a brilliant hospital, a real example to others, everyone has been very good to her and the service was excellent'.

I  thanked her and requested she should write to the local papers about her experience with PAH.

The wellbeing of the patient is no longer paramount when placed under these conditions.