"Delayed me getting the correct care"

Last year I dislocated my left knee during a netball session and was taken via ambulance to Lincoln A&E. The paramedics were amazing and so gentle and caring towards me and listened to my pain. Lincoln A&E however weren’t so understanding and after a 5-hour wait and an x-ray they deemed it to be a sprain and sent me home in a splint, not to weight bare for a few days, but unable to provide me with any crutches, and it would correct itself.

After 5 more days of agony and continuous giving way of my knee I had to re-attend Lincoln A&E  for which I was there 10 hours. During this time I saw 2 different doctors, neither of which had communicated with each other, had another x-ray and saw an orthopaedic ANP who was amazing and got more done in the hour from meeting them than any of the doctors had done in the rest of my time there.

The ANP was able to diagnose me with hyper-mobility, which explained the  ability for knee dislocation and referred me for an MRI which they were able to perform there and then. Following this I was informed I needed to wait for the results before a decision could be made on what steps were next.

I waited for 4 hours to be told a consultant needed to review the scans, but I could go home and a trauma coordinator would call me the next day. I asked for pain relief to take home but was informed my GP would prescribe this and to manage on what I had at home until this point (it took 2 weeks of going between the hospital and my GP to get the appropriate pain relief).

The next day I never received a call from the trauma coordinator and when I phoned to find out what was happening, I was told I would be called later in the day. I was able to self-refer to see physiotherapy, who I saw within a week and were able to explain that from the report they had seen on the system it was definitely not a sprain and more likely a ligament issue, but to confirm this with the consultant when I saw them in clinic.

3 weeks passed before I saw the consultant, who was extremely disappointed that it had taken so long for me to see them, from sustaining the injury and that I hadn’t been informed of the extent of my injuries. They referred me for an urgent arthroscopy which was set to take place 7 weeks after seeing them. However, it got delayed and I was transferred to another consultant due to them being off sick.

I had an arthroscopy and debridement with the new consultant and followed up, while having physio to build up muscles, where they confirmed the complete rupture of my ACL and suggested it could be replaced using a hamstring graft but made me feel like they were doing me a favour by accepting the replacement surgery. They also asked me if I was actually doing my physio exercises as I shouldn’t be in pain, my leg shouldn’t be giving way anymore and I should be able to walk normally.

Following this I requested my care to be transferred back to the original consultant, who was happy to take me back on as a patient and wished to see me in clinic prior to performing the ACL reconstruction surgery, but with a bone graft and patella repair as this was more appropriate for someone of my age. They informed me that the pain and giving way of the joint was completely normal given the injury, and that they wanted to do the surgery sooner rather than later as it was already too long from sustaining the injury.

Throughout this time I was undergoing physio, who deemed me to be at as full strength as possible for the surgery. The care I received at Grantham Hospital from the moment I arrived on the ward for surgery was outstanding, even when I started to panic during the spinal being sited, the ODP was amazing and between them and the anaesthetist, they managed to calm me enough with light sedation to site the spinal.

The recovery following surgery, on the ward, was difficult due to pain and nausea, but the staff were amazing and so tentative. I felt well enough to go home in the evening, and they were so supportive with this, ensuring that I knew who to contact if any issues arose or I had any questions.

My care is still ongoing and I have had some disappointing interactions, and some amazing interactions and it is easy to see who really care for their job and have the correct support from the environment.

I wouldn’t go back to Lincoln A&E if I have the option in future as I feel because of their lack of interest, this delayed me getting the correct care and so has taken this long to finally get the correct treatment. I understand the pressures of the environment and the staff are under, but I don’t feel this excuses the care I have received over the last 10 months from certain services.