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Accident and emergency experience

Posted By joeglas

"Accident and emergency experience"

About: Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow / Accident & Emergency

(as a service user),

I attended A&E following the advice of my GP.

I appreciate the area and demand on the service is very busy, but I have to comment on a few things:

1.It is not safe to wait 60 mins to be triaged.

2. The triage nurse scoffed when I told them the reason I was there, despite advising my GP advised me to attend. The nurse's colleague argued about the reason I was there. There was no need to be rude.

3. I observed the triage nurses closing the door on patients' relatives as the patient was only allowed in.

4. Whilst there I noticed that the waiting time had went from 3 hrs to 5 hrs. It was obvious that some of the patients in the department should not be there. Why can't registered nurses not refer discharge patients to alternative services - i.e. GP , pharmacy - instead of allowing all patients to stay in A&E?

Once I was taken in, I saw a very nice and caring Dr called Katie and once she understood the history she arranged a scan.

Unfortunately, when I was taken round for the scan the 2 health care assistants who I was placed in front of :

Were moaning about the number of patients they had.

Were demeaning their colleagues.

Talking about nights out etc.

I do understand it might be idle chit chat, but please be aware of who is around you.

Once I had my scan, a pleasant doctor came and advised me that the scan was all clear.

I really do appreciate that the staff are working under horrendous, stressful conditions and doing the best they can, but please be aware of how you speak to patients and what you say within earshot of them.

Please consider discharging patients at triage who should not be in accident and emergency

Many thanks to Dr Kate for her care and attention.

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Responses

Response from Karen Hughes, Senior Charge Nurse, Emergency Department and Minor Injuries Units, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and New Victoria Hospital), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 6 months ago
Karen Hughes
Senior Charge Nurse, Emergency Department and Minor Injuries Units, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and New Victoria Hospital),
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Senior charge nurse & emergency nurse practitioner within the ED & Miu of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

Submitted on 24/12/2024 at 23:00
Published on Care Opinion at 23:00

picture of Karen Hughes

Dear joeglas,

thank you for taking the time to submit a care opinion, I am sorry to read about the issues that you have raised, and I would like to apologise for this, as this experience is not what we aim to provide for patients in our care. Feedback is vital to help us learn and improve, if you would like to email me direct to - karen.hughes@ggc.scot.nhs.uk, with your name and date of attendance, I will look in to this further, as Care Opinion doesn't share personal details.

with regards to some of the points you have raised, we desperately try to triage patients in a timely manner, but there are days when patient volume and acuity can cause increased triage waits. we do have a redirection procedure as per the ' right time, right place' policy which ensures that patients who do not need to be in the Emergency department will be redirected to other healthcare providers, I.e. the same day assessment unit, primary care, 111, pharmacists, opticians and self care advice, patients who are in the waiting room after being triaged have been assessed as requiring assessment by the Emergency Medical team.

our waiting times can increase significantly and quickly due to increased emergencies attending via the ambulance service which is not visible from the waiting room as there are 2 x different entrances direct into the high dependency and resus areas of the department - we are a trauma unit and as such receive major trauma patients direct from scene.

I am sorry you felt the triage staff were rude, I will reiterate to all staff on the importance of compassion and good communication, and will also pass on your comments to the management of the radiology department regarding your time while there.

I am delighted that Dr Katie was nice and caring, she will be delighted to receive such lovely recognition.

I hope you are feeling better now.

with kind regards,

Karen

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