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"Visit to medical assessment"

About: Western General Hospital / Medical Assessment Unit

(as a service user),

I wanted to thank the staff at Medical Assessment receiving unit for all their help with my husband, who was there due to potential heart attack symptoms - urgent GP referral for breathlessness / indigestion type pain.

He spent most of the afternoon with you and had an x-ray, ECG, blood tests, two consultations with the registrar and home the same day. Staff members were all so helpful at a really stressful time.

Can I say though that if someone was trying to make sure the maximum number of elderly and ill patients and their carers caught colds, flu, covid or whatever else is going round the waiting room would be the perfect place - no ventilation, heating up to max and packed full. I couldn't stay there with my husband asides from 5 minutes at a time as I’m going through menopause and the heat was making me feel too ill. This made the visit a lot more stressful than it needed to be.

Obviously it’s an older building but heating can be turned off or down. There was an almost empty and well ventilated waiting room - blue seats - at the entrance to medical assmt but patients would miss their name being called so weren’t using it. Maybe there is a way to use both rooms?

I work in a temperature controlled food business and happened to have a monitor with me and it was 76F in the small waiting room. My husband fell asleep at one point and thought he’s missed his name being called.

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Responses

Response from Louise Davies, Patient Experience Officer, Patient Experience Team, NHS Lothian 2 months ago
Louise Davies
Patient Experience Officer, Patient Experience Team,
NHS Lothian
Submitted on 04/03/2025 at 16:57
Published on Care Opinion at 16:57


picture of Louise Davies

Hi earthtp68

Thank you so much for sharing your feedback with us regarding the Medical Assessment Unit. I am pleased that the staff were so helpful, but I'm really sorry for the uncomfortable temperature and lack of ventilation.

I have passed on your feedback to the department who will be able to review this and respond in more detail.

Thank you again

Louise

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Response from Penny Clarke, Clinical Nurse Manager, Acute Medicine, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian 2 months ago
Penny Clarke
Clinical Nurse Manager, Acute Medicine, Western General Hospital,
NHS Lothian
Submitted on 05/03/2025 at 19:06
Published on Care Opinion on 06/03/2025 at 10:32


Hi earthp68

As the Clinical Nurse Manager of the area, myself and the team would like to thank you for the positive feedback regarding how helpful staff were. This is the standard we strive for at all times and hearing we have succeeded is very reassuring.

The temperature within the area has been an ongoing challenge that we have faced over the years. Use of the other waiting area unfortunately is not possible as it is for another group of patients from a different department. We are, however, continuing to liaise with Estates colleagues to try and rectify the situation, but in the meantime we will ensure we have fans available in the waiting area for comfort, along with iced water.

I would like to take this time to apologise for the discomfort you experienced, and to thank you for your feedback regarding this.

Many thanks.

Penny

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