"A&E Experience"

It was like visiting a hospital in a war zone! My wife had suffered a serious fall injured her face and cut her fingers which is why we attended. It was obvious she needed an X-ray or CT scan and sutures. We arrived in the grey portacabin for triage. (Poor signing) There were more security guards than nursing staff visible on arrival to triage which took nearly an hour. There then followed a 3 hour wait to see a nurse who planned a course of investigations. Bloods, ECG, CT scan and probable sutures. Over the course of the next 11hours each happened in turn with us shuffling back to the waiting area each time. Then told at 3am 9 hours after arrival that they were going to do steristrips on my wife's fingers. This proved impossible as the wounds were too deep and after 2 hours sat in a cubicle were told to sit back in the main waiting area as there were only 2 staff on duty qualified to suture (really in a casualty unit). An hour later after pushing the lovely HCA we finally were seen by the great Registrar who performed the necessary suturing. We finally arrived home 14 hours after we had arrived at NGH.

In summary,

Staff brilliant cannot fault them. 

Please get security staff who have the ability to converse in a polite manner and not grunt. 

Please look at your systems surely there must be a better way. 

We have recently returned to the town from North Wales. Our previous experience of A&E in Northampton has always been good, what has happened in the last decade to bring it to this point I have no idea but suffice to say we were appalled. 

We were among many older couples sat in there for 12 hours and more on uncomfortable seating and repeatedly being told by tannoy how long the wait time was and being urged to self discharge and go to a gp in the morning.

Neither of us would following this experience attend casualty willingly again. That is an awful thing to say but it was a truly dreadful experience.......

Kind regards