"General feedback"

Initial admission to A&E, seen by triage 50 minutes later, sat back in waiting room for 1.5 hours.

Taken to another, different (curtain-partitioned) waiting area and sat in a chair with no arms for further 4 hrs. Not 1 word said to me in 4 hrs with an update! The patient in the bay opposite me slept on the hard floor for the same 4+ hour entirety!

It’s an A&E department. I fully appreciate how ‘the queue’ works - but 4 hrs with no update / contact! This is nothing short of a complete lack of communication to patients. Suggest signage saying “sorry about the wait but here are some facts. Your wait may be due to one or more of the following” (add stats to poster - i.e. amount of patients last week, etc)

I had mental health issues in the past, and the biggest thing I learnt from that was that you need a light at the end of the tunnel. Doesn’t matter if that light is miles away - so long as there is one.

Which would you prefer to hear?

Nothing whatsoever

“We’re busy and will get to you when we can”

“You’re currently 18th in the queue. We hope this will change in the right direction for you, but if it doesn’t, it’ll be because someone else’s health is more severe and / or life threatening. We’d do the same for you. Please bear with us”

Level of service thereafter - Amazing! That said, a few observations and comments if I may please.

I spent 6 nights and days in here. Fortunately for me, my injury and infection meant I required a lower level of personal care and medical assistance compared to most visitors in the final 4 days of my stay and I was able to walk around quite a bit (I walked 25 miles!). Whilst walking I made several observations I’d like to share with you.

Main observation - General confusion amongst visitors ref: directions, being lost - I saw this a lot, and not confined to one area. I would like to suggest…

- laminated A5 or A6 map where volunteers at main entrance can mark areas with fine whiteboard marker. Laminate can be handed back and re-used upon exit.

- ‘IKEA-style’ ceiling mounted direction arrow lighting (colour-coded, similar to coloured floor lines in X-Ray dept) - but for Main entrance. X-Ray is colour-coded, but why not the Main Entrance?

- Additional wall signs periodically for wards, departments

- Additional signage at hotspots such as T-junctions and Cafe etc

- More signage directly outside exit of lifts, top, bottom of stairs

Other observations:

• Zero or little hooks/shelving for change of clothes to stay dry in washrooms in wards. No elaboration on what is clinical waste or domestic waste (which category are hand drying towels?)

• I wanted to preserve my dignity by having an un-assisted shower. I asked if any ‘filling station gloves’ were available as I had a bandaged finger. No such thing available. Suggestion of the same thing but a mitt to cater for fingers strapped together

• Volunteers in main entrance lovely idea, but I believe this is the only place they are situated

Now on to the good points…

•The food - one word. Amazing! A great balance, both nutritionally and variety of choice. Enough said. 5 stars from me. Please let me know the email address of the person in charge so I can arrange to personally thank them face-to-face.

• The equipment you have on site must be worth hundreds of £millions, but your most valuable asset by far is your staff. All of the staff I came into contact with were very friendly and professional; please pay them what they deserve and treat them with the same TLC they are trying so very hard to give

• A final and very bold suggestion; A trial / test study/ campaign - A person dressed as a teddy bear in main entrance (extend to other areas if successful) wearing T-shirt saying “need a hug?“ with additional teddy bear if recipient isn’t comfortable hugging a person. “Hugs are free” - but go a very long way. Proven to reduce anxiety and stress in my (untrained, non-professional) opinion.

I look forward to your reply.