"Clean, helpful and very efficient"

I love ARI A&E!!

I know that's an odd thing to say, but it's clean, very efficient, and staff are helpful, professional and friendly.

But the fracture clinic is even better. Clever organisation, so that once checked in you are led to the appropriate waiting room. On my first two visits, I had to go for xrays, so was taken to the adjacent xray waiting room,  and called in within 10 minutes. After the pictures, I was directed back to the consultants' waiting room, and called in, again within about 10 minutes.

My first visit to A&E was Christmas Eve 2024. I had dislocated my shoulder and the local small injuries unit couldn't relocate it. They phoned ARI ahead, and A&E staff were waiting for me. I was wheelchaired to triage, where I was given oral morphine, then directed to Minors waiting area. Bearing in mind that there was flu and norovirus in the area, I knew I would have a wait, but the morphine helped. When I was eventually seen, by a senior A&E practitioner, who was sympathetic and caring, Resus was fully occupied, and therefore I could not be given ketamine. Thus, I was treated in a side ward.  With the help of an ortho specialist and a health assistant (plus Penthrox) the shoulder was fixed, I was fitted with a sling, given some more painkillers, my reflexes checked, and discharged.

Despite the fact that all wards were apparently full with flu and other respiratory infection patients, at no point did I see or feel the pressure that these staff must have been suffering.

My 2 subsequent visits to the fracture clinic are as described above, but in addition, the specialist decided I needed advice from a physiotherapist and found one who had a small window. He gave me exercises, and on my second visit checked progress and referred me to local physio services.

My last visit on Tuesday, I saw the consultant straight away, and he explained the problems of my shoulders, agreed with the local physio treatments and my own initiatives to avoid falling. 

Again though the waiting room was well occupied, there was no evidence of pressure.

Efficient!

I really can't praise them enough.