I had reason recently to visit Ulster Hospital ED for the third time since the beginning of July. This time I was seriously unwell with abdominal pain, projectile vomiting etc. Unfortunately the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service were unable to respond within a reasonable time and therefore other arrangements had to be made to get me to the hospital.
I was triaged reasonably quickly and then sent back to the waiting room before bloods being taken. When the results all came back I was told that they were normal and that they didn’t know what was causing the issue and was sent home. When I followed up with the GP the next day I was told that there was in fact something that showed on the bloods and that was that my white cells were high showing signs of an infection somewhere. Therefore we were clearly misinformed at the hospital which is very disappointing.
A lot of my time was also spent in the general waiting area which was not convenient. The hospital was very quiet by its usual standards and it would’ve been more appropriate in my opinion had I been given a trolley or a more comfortable chair in the treatment area while I was there as there were other people there also. I had only a hard chair to sit on in the treatment area when receiving treatment through IV.
I appreciate the pressures that the NHS are under but it was disappointing that I was told incorrect information and also disappointing that I wasn’t as comfortable as I should’ve been given how ill I was.
"Uncomfortable experience in ED"
About: Northern Ireland Ambulance Service / Emergency ambulance response Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Emergency ambulance response Belfast BT8 8SG The Ulster Hospital / Emergency Department The Ulster Hospital Emergency Department BT16 1RH
Posted by Ulster2000 (as ),
Responses
See more responses from Conor Campbell
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