"Made me feel like I had done the wrong thing"

As an NHS employee myself I wish what I'm writing was positive feedback, but unfortunately it's not.

On a few separate occasions in the last year we have had to attend A&E at St Johns Hospital in Livingston. Firstly with my 1-year-old son at the time, I phoned NHS24 who sent an ambulance for him due to breathing difficulties, but understandably it was a long wait and after nearly an hour I called back and asked if it would be better if I was to take him to the hospital myself, so they agreed as it would be A&E they would take us to and canceled the ambulance but I was instructed to call 999 if he got worse on the journey. 

So we arrived at A&E to an extremely busy waiting room. We managed to get a seat with my son so distressed but totally understood how busy the department was. There were elderly patients sitting in wheelchairs with blankets who had been sitting for hours waiting to see a doctor, so we knew it was possibly going to be a long wait, it was not ideal but I certainly understood the situation. Soon after arrival, the Triage Nurse on duty came through into the waiting area and shouted at the top of their voice - with what I can only describe as a disgusted look on their face - to change that waiting time to 7 hours! 

I don't think that was the way to enter an area full of sick, worried, possibly anxious patients. In my view, the nurse showed no NHS values at all in those first few seconds of seeing them, and we hadn't even met them yet. I certainly was not looking forward to my son being triaged by them. I was absolutely appalled.

Soon we were taken into triage and the nurse's first words after showing us to a room was to ask why we didn't phone NHS24. I couldn't believe their attitude, I feel it was disgusting. I went on to explain our situation, NHS24 sending an ambulance etc. I feel the nurse had shown no compassion or reassurance to us, who were so worried about our little boy.

We were later admitted to the children's ward and our very poorly child was well looked after, the staff turned our horrible experience right round and reassured us he was in the right place to get better. 

Then some weeks later we found ourselves back to A&E with my son, whose breathing had declined once again after what was another horrible virus he just couldn't cope with. To my absolute dread we were triaged again by the same nurse. They were not any more welcoming than they were the fist time we met. Again, their first words were to ask why I didn't phone. I didn't even let them finish this time and abruptly interrupted by saying I called NHS24 and they advised me to bring him straight to A&E. They responded that they shouldn't have. I couldn't believe my ears once more. On both these occasions the nurse made me feel like I had done the wrong thing by bring my son in. 

Then more recently with my daughter this time, I called NHS24 as my daughter's eye was swollen shut and her eyeball was like jelly. We were advised to head to A&E and said a note would be put on her file so the staff can see it. We headed over and were called in by the same triage nurse as before. Once again their attitude was awful, they criticized me for not phoning NHS24 and getting an Out of Hours appointment and pointed at my daughter and said that it's just hayfever. I told them I had phoned them and that they told me to come, you could tell they didn't believe me so I told them to look at the notes they said they had put on.

The nurse asked me to go to the desk and make an out of hours appointment, so i did. They then appeared at the reception desk so I asked the receptionist if a note was put on from NHS24 and their reply was yes. I totally understand the way things work in A&E and an out of hours appointment was more convenient for us all, but I was following advice. I asked the nurse why did they tell me to come here instead and their reply was that they haven't got a clue what they are doing.

So not only were they so rude again and made me feel like i was stupid again, but that my daughter only had hayfever. So not only had I made the wrong decision in attending A&E but I was overreacting to my daughter's symptoms. My daughter was eventually seen by a lovely doctor who reassured me I made the correct decision in bringing her in as she had an infection that required treatment asap. 

A&E is, as we all know, stretched to the limits but we all have to remain professional at all times. In my view, this nurse's values certainly do not follow NHS policy. Under pressure or not, they should not speak to people who are already scared and anxious. If it was just one occasion I probably would have just brushed it under the carpet, but every time we have had the unfortunate trip to A&E our triage with the same nurse has never been pleasant.