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"Lack of management and care"

About: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France / Accident & Emergency

(as a friend),

I have been unwell since the end of last year. Every time I came to the hospital or GP they just did the blood counting and send me home without any diagnosis or further recommendations. I went abroad in December and they were suspicious of adrenal insufficiency after doing hormonal blood test (which I never been advised in UK).

Recently, my symptoms got worse and it felt like adrenal crisis. The ambulance injected me hydrocortisone which improved my symptoms and I was sent to hospital and spent 12 hours in the hospital waiting. They just did the blood counting and urine test and abdomen cr scan, which, as I understand, has nothing to do with secondary adrenal insufficiency. At the end, the doctor told me it does not look like adrenal insufficiency and did not advise for urgent referral to endocrinologist. 

It seems clear to me that since I got the hydrocortisone shot in the ambulance, my symptoms improved and what doctor evaluated was based on after getting cortisol. This suggests to me that I needed that shot so I should be given some prescription or urgent referral.

I believe the guidelines need to be changed. I was really unwell and required an ambulance and ambulance evaluated the risk of situation high enough to get me the cortisol shot. I feel this needs to be considered and I shouldn’t have been sent home without any further recommendations.

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Responses

Response from Sarah Archibald, Clinical Service Manager, Emergency Department, NHS Lothian - Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France last month
Sarah Archibald
Clinical Service Manager, Emergency Department,
NHS Lothian - Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France

Strategic Programme Manager

Submitted on 22/03/2024 at 10:11
Published on Care Opinion at 10:11


Dear Fate1,

My name is Sarah Archibald, I am the Clinical Service Manager for the Emergency Department. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story with us. I was extremely sorry to hear about your long wait to be seen in the Emergency Department (ED) and that you feel you did not receive the appropriate treatment.

Waiting times out-with the national targets are unacceptable and I recognise the distress and discomfort extended waits cause to patients and our staff. Unfortunately, at present and in recent weeks the demand for our services was exceptionally high. I am extremely sorry that this resulted in you having to wait for a long time to be seen by a Doctor.

We acknowledge there may be instances where patients believe they did not receive the correct treatment and care, I would like to look into this in more detail if you are in agreement. To support this process and to help us learn, can I offer you an opportunity to discuss your experience by emailing me sarah.archibald@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk or calling 0131 242 1070.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your feedback with us as we really do value all feedback as it is important that we learn from it.

Best wishes,
Sarah

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