I fell in the garden around broke my glasses and grazed/ cut my face. I take steroid inhalers so have skin which doesn't heal quickly. 2 hours later still bleeding I phoned NHS 4 who sent me to A&E. Arrived late in the evening to be told 6 hour wait and the triage nurse would see me shortly. I saw nurse at midnight, took BP and temp and said they would see me again soon. They never did.
About four hours later I asked reception for update, they predicted a 2 - 3 hour further wait. I had stopped bleeding, was exhausted, hadn't eaten since lunch time. The snack and drink machine was broken, so I decided to go home get some food and sleep and try after I'd slept.
Next morning I couldn't get a GP or nurse appointment for a week, so I phoned NHS24, eventually spoke to a trained nurse practitioner who decided I didn't need to be seen. I said my facial injuries meant I could not take my essential steroid inhalers which my consultant told me not to stop for any reason and always to carry spare. This nurses opinion was that it didn't matter if I didn't take steroid inhaler for several days or a week.
I contacted my GP surgery again who suggested I try treatment rooms at other local surgeries. None could see me for a week. I did manage to speak to a District Nurse who asked me to email photos of my injuries. They advised me to phone again if it got worse , started bleeding or didn't heal. They also gave me advice on reducing swelling and taking my steroid inhalers 3 times a day as prescribed. I later discovered from other nhs staff that because a bike race was on local NHS staff had been sent to the route in case there was an accident. So I, a local resident, couldn't receive medical treatment because some important visitors might be injured!!! Where do NHS forth valley priorities lie?
I felt ignored, abandoned and uncared for. I felt the NHS treatment of me was anything but caring.
I felt the nurse at NHS 24 had no understanding of the importance of taking medication, i.e. steroid inhalers, even though I told them of the instructions not to stop taking this medication. I also felt they had no understanding of the fact that constant steroid use meant I was immunocompromised with regards to my skin, bleeding and difficulty healing, even though I explained this .
"Trying to access services"
About: Forth Valley Royal Hospital / Accident & emergency Forth Valley Royal Hospital Accident & emergency FK5 4WR General practices in Forth Valley General practices in Forth Valley NHS 24 / NHS 24 (111 service) NHS 24 NHS 24 (111 service)
Posted by sigmafp89 (as ),
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