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A&E experience

Posted By Jay mcg

"A&E experience"

About: Causeway Hospital / Accident & Emergency

(as a carer),

Felt my dad and I have a negative experience attending A&E at causeway. This area is far too small to manage the amount of people that needs to see a Dr. I took my dad in due to insect bite where his lower arm and hand was showing increasing swelling to area.

As a gentleman in his 70s, I was shocked to find they had put him on a chair outside of A&E in a main link corridor just out of the way and not seen or looked at. Whilst some nurses/doctors were kind when asking for directions or where to find my dad, many other staff gave attitudes back and said things like - look, these are my patients so unless you see your dad then I don't know where he is. Not very considerate for medical professional I would of thought.

I can see A&E has significantly declined, they don't seem to be able to manage the work load with numbers provided or know where their patients are for a very odd reason. I'm very worried about this corridor aspect as I would of feared my dad collapsing or a cardiac arrest occurring and not a professional near! I can honestly say I will ensure we use another hospital instead as I just could not put him through that again. 

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Responses

Response from Victoria McCrory, Assistant Clinical Services Manager, Medicine and Emergency Medicine, NHSCT 12 months ago
Victoria McCrory
Assistant Clinical Services Manager, Medicine and Emergency Medicine,
NHSCT

Submitted on 05/08/2024 at 08:54
Published on Care Opinion at 08:54

Hello Jay mcq

My name is Victoria McCrory and I am the Assistant Clinical Services Manager for Causeway ED. I am sorry to hear your dad has recently been unwell and had to attend the department.

Ed departments have remained under sustained pressures for a significant period of time, with the numbers of patients present often exceeding maximum capacity. The department try their best to manage this safely, often with escalation spaces in use and additional staffing sourced when able.

I apologise that your dad was asked to wait in the main corridor; often when the site is in escalation we have to avail of additional seating in the corridor to try and manage the numbers of people in each area. Whilst asking patients to wait in the corridor is not ideal, at times of escalation it is necessary. When the site is in escalation cubicle spaces are allocated to those who are most clinically unwell, with increased frailty and care needs.

I am saddened to hear the responses you received from staff working within the dept. These responses do not align with trust core values, nor professional codes of conduct. I always advocate that staff treat patients, families and visitors as they would wish for their own families to be treated. I will ensure this issue is highlighted at ward safety briefs and learning is shared with all staff within the dept.

I hope your dad is recovering well, and once again I apologise for the experience which you and your dad had within the dept.

If you wish to discuss this further please contact me via Causeway Switchboard on 028 7032 7032

Yours Sincerely

Victoria McCrory

ACSM CAU ED

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