"A pretty shocking experience"

I met a lot of professionals and, with exception of surgical medical team, anaesthetists, emergency theatre RNs/OFP and 2 international agency HCSW staff, not one of NHSGGC registered/unregistered nursing staff from RAH ED, RAH surgical assessment unit and RAH ward 20 introduced themselves or said their name to me over 3 days (to my recollection).

I attended ED and next day was admitted to ward 20 from SAU at 10:00 and the name above my bed space was only changed to my name from previous patient after I returned from theatre at 23:30 hours that night.

Not one person gave me an update on when I might be going to theatre until I challenged nursing staff at 18:00 that same day. Whilst I appreciate I was awaiting emergency theatre and other emergencies will take precedence, I am disappointed that nursing staff from ward 20 did not seem to feel it was their responsibility to call theatre for an update when I was the only patient awaiting theatre, instead waiting for theatre to contact them. After I challenged in this they came back half an hour later to advise several people were being cancelled for theatre but I was still on list.

My experience in ED day before also wasn’t great. Filthy waiting room and the domestic who was on duty seemed to make little effort to get in and around people to clean - these are minors in waiting room and could presumably have moved. No waiting time data displayed; vending machines not working and most uncomfortable seats I have ever encountered in my life.  Receptionist seemed to have no insight to noise level of intercom and I was not comfortable giving personal details for all ED waiting room to hear.  Not fault of receptionist - needs a NHSGGC solution.

Got triaged quick and then waited until 4 hour mark before getting taken through to see very junior medic who quite frankly appeared to have no idea what to do other than refer to surgical team and told me they would just likely send me home to continue oral antibiotics - this despite me telling them I had been here before and I would need surgery.  

Then waited another 3 hours behind a screen and not one person came and checked on me until my wife who was with me, went home and came back asked the nurse who took my vital signs what was happening… response was that awaiting surgical team…2 minutes later nurse came back to advise they had been called again…2 mins after this another nurse came and moved me on my trolley to another part of ED and quipped they wouldn't forget about me in here.

Going back to my experience after theatre I had to go and find nursing staff in ward 20 to ask for something to eat as I had by this time been fasting for 24 hours.  There is more but a pretty shocking experience all in all.