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"You expect a wait but this was a joke."

About: NHS 24 / NHS 24 (111 service) University Hospital Monklands / Ambulatory Care University Hospital Monklands / Emergency Department

(as a parent/guardian),

My daughter called NHS 24. She was waiting for the call to be answered for 1hour and 45mins only to then be cut off. Another half a hour for the phone to be answered to be told to travel quite far to a health centre in another town with chest pains.

Got to the health centre where basic checks were done and then told to go back to Monklands Hospital.  We got there in the early hours of the morning,  triaged and then back to the waiting room.

The waiting room was full of sick looking people half asleep or curled up and someone shouting. So many people left hanging about poorly in a waiting room. We talk about dignity and respect but where was that dignity for the patient sat next to me throwing up in a public area and just handed a bowl.

Back to my daughter's suspected blood clot. 8hrs later we finally left the waiting room to then be told to go to ambulatory care. Staff there were great but we did not leave the hospital for a further 3 hours. Eleven hours and 20 mins. You expect a wait but this was a joke.

I was disgusted and to be honest shocked. My mother was an A and E nurse and in my opinion hospitals were better run in the 60s 70s.

I cannot believe what I saw in the waiting room - no dignity and no respect.  Not visited a hospital in years but after this visit I have to think that the A and E at this hospital is not fit for purpose.

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Responses

Response from Karen D, Patient Experience Manager, NHS 24 14 months ago
Karen D
Patient Experience Manager,
NHS 24

Manage patient feedback

Submitted on 08/04/2024 at 19:09
Published on Care Opinion at 19:09


picture of Karen D

Dear triangulumcb65,

Thank you for sharing your story on Care Opinion. I am sorry to learn of your daughter’s chest pain and I hope she is recovering well.

I reply to you on behalf of the NHS 24 part of your daughter’s care.

I am sorry for the time taken to access 111 when your daughter called into the service and I appreciate this would have added to an already worrying situation. Unfortunately, due to the demand on our service there are occasions when wait times can be extended, however this is not the experience we wish for our callers and we are working hard trying to reduce this as much as possible.

I read with concern regarding the call being cut off. NHS 24 do not cut off calls, but we are aware that some mobile providers will end a call after a certain duration. However, I would like the opportunity to explore this further and also to check if your daughter was referred on appropriately. Could I kindly ask you or your daughter to contact our Patient Experience Team to provide some additional detail.

You can contact me or a member of our Patient Experience Team at Patient.Experience@nhs24.scot.nhs.uk

Thank you again for sharing your experience. I wish you and your daughter all the best.

Kind regards,

Karen

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Response from Jennifer Montgomery, Improvement Coordinator, Quality Directorate, NHS Lanarkshire 14 months ago
Jennifer Montgomery
Improvement Coordinator, Quality Directorate,
NHS Lanarkshire

Operational Lead for Care Opinion in NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 09/04/2024 at 01:04
Published on Care Opinion at 01:04


picture of Jennifer Montgomery

Dear triangulumcb65,

Thank you for sharing your experience in University Hospital Monklands, Emergency Department.

I am sorry to hear of the long wait that you and your daughter experienced after calling 111. Unfortunately our services are under extreme pressures at the moment and our staff are working as quickly and safely as possible to treat patients. This will of course not help with an already worrying time. I am pleased to hear that once you were both moved to ambulatory care the staff were very good although you did spend a bit longer receiving treatment.

I look forward to passing on your comments to the team in ambulatory care, and if you would like to discuss the waiting time or waiting area environment further then please contact our Patient Affairs team on the below details.

PatientAffairs.Monklands@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

Tel no 01698 752300

I hope your daughter is recovering well.

Kind Regards,

Jenni

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