"Unacceptable Waiting Times in ED"

I was sent to the Ulster ED by my GP recently due to concerns relating to a brain tumour and an increase of symptoms. Given past history of haemorrhaging she sent through to them a warning that id be attending.

Upon arrival at ED I was booked in and found a seat. After that it was around 2 hours or longer before I was triaged. Another 3 hours before I got bloods taken and then another 5 hours before I got seeing a doctor after I started displaying stroke symptoms. Even after those symptoms appeared it was 20 mins before I was seen.

Given the seriousness of my condition I feel all of the waiting times above were completely unacceptable. If I wasn’t ill I wouldn’t have been here. After 7am I was moved to yellow zone where as I’ve said in another article the care was good.

I’m now in an inpatient ward where the care is second to none. My frustration lies with the waiting times in the ED given the seriousness of the condition.

When I have had to report to other hospitals on similar occasions I’ve been seen more or less right away due to the urgency of the thing. This sadly didn’t happen here. The Ulster is my local hospital and it’s my preferred choice but this was a very off putting experience and I feared what was going to happen to me if I wasn’t seen. This is only a brief synopsis. I have sent in a complaint via the Trust which I didn’t want to do but given the seriousness I was left with no option. Hopefully things can be improved on.