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Care Opinion

My sister's experience

Posted By McKnight

"My sister's experience"

About: Antrim Area Hospital / Accidents & Emergency

(as a relative),

I was with my sister, who is in her 70s and she was extremely unwell. She had taken an allergic reaction and was spreading rapidly throughout her body right up to her neck her face and mouth very swollen. 

We booked into Antrim A&E at 20:00 approximately 

I accompanied my sister to see the Triage Nurse about 15 mins after checking in and my sister had bloods done etc 

On leaving the Triage Room the Nurse said they were going to speak to the Dr 

The Waiting Room was extremely crowded and just seemed hectic !! 

The waiting time was 8 hours Minors

This then went to 9 hours then 10 hours then 12 hours then 12 hours!! 

My sister was very anxious & the reception area seats are extremely uncomfortable especially for someone suffering pain & feeling very unwell. 

We waited & waited & waited & waited & my sister could hardly sit & was progressively getting worse! 

We wondered why the Nurse didn’t come & offer something from the Dr as they originally suggested?? 

At 9 & s half hours my sister could take no more & she just wanted home to lie down so I went up to the Reception desk and asked when possibly could she be seen otherwise we will be leaving even although my sister felt very ill. 

The Receptionist informed me that her record had just been clicked on by the Dr & would be seen soon. 

It seemed like another hour & was eventually called by Dr 

Doctor seemed very abrupt & at this stage my sister could hardly get words out !! 

The welts & burning rash was everywhere - in her head , face, around her neck, back front, legs & burning everywhere was just awful 

Eventually she was taken through to other area 

To me it was just like a totally disorganised area & chaos 

Attempted to put up a drip and couldn’t find the stand !! 

Temperature gauge wasn’t working & had to run & get another 1 !! 

As I sat with there my  sister I was just overwhelmed watching all that was unfolding before my eyes meanwhile my sister could hardly keep her head upright !! 

We eventually came away 12 hours  later & feeling so sad if this is what our Health Service has to offer 

I hope things will improve very soon as I never want to have to sit 12 hours  with a very sick relative again 

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Responses

Response from Cathy McCoy, Clinical Service Manager, Acute Medicine, NHSCT last week
Cathy McCoy
Clinical Service Manager, Acute Medicine,
NHSCT

Submitted on 10/05/2024 at 13:45
Published on Care Opinion at 13:45

Dear Mr. McKnight

thankyou for taking the time to complete a care opinion on your experience in ED with your sister. Firstly I would like apologies for the long wait you and your sister experienced within the department.

The triage system is used to identify seriously unwell patients from those that can wait. Thankfully your sister was deemed suitable to wait but it is very disheartening for patients when they are waiting excessive periods of time. Unfortunately the seats within the ED department need to washable and vandal proof which limits are choice of seating within the department and the waiting area was never design to hold as many patients and relatives it does with on average 250-300 patient attendances per day. The Emergency department can regularly also be housing between 40 - 60 patients waiting on in patient hospital beds. This may go some way to explaining why the department looked disorganised and chaotic. However I have experienced nursing staff who know were the hot spots are within the department and make every effort to see and treat patients not only coming in the front door but also the back door via ambulance.

I will speak to triage staff to ensure that waiting times are communicated to all patients at the time of triage, however this message is often not received well from members of the public therefore there is reluctance on some staff to have these conversations. The waiting time is also only an estimation and not an exact time. This is due to patients requiring emergency treatment which can not be predicted.

Unfortunately there is no easy solution but I can reassure you that staff are doing everything they can to try and mitigate and reduce risk for those patients waiting to be seen by a doctor

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