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"At no point did it feel like the patient's voice was being heard"

About: Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford) / Accident and emergency Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford) / Trauma and orthopaedics

(as a relative),

A family member was seen in triage and, two hours later, directed to a minors cubicle with only a number and the instruction to sit and wait. This was an optometry examination room so did not have proper chair or bed, only an examination chair and a hard couch with no sheet or paper roll. We remained there for nearly another two hours without any communication or acknowledgment from staff. Despite presenting with severe pain, no pain relief was offered for over four hours.

When finally seen by the orthopaedic registrar, the experience was quite upsetting and uncomfortable. This staff member appeared dismissive of her symptoms and was notably rude. After the consultation, I overheard them make a comment at the desk to ED staff, implying that they can walk, apparently unaware that I was still behind the fabric curtain and could hear them. I feel this was both inappropriate and unprofessional.

There also seemed to be poor communication between the ED team and other clinical departments. Tasks were frequently forgotten or delayed, resulting in unnecessary confusion and lack of follow-through on essential care.

In total, we spent over 10 hours in the Emergency Department. Pain relief was only offered once, and due to repeated miscommunications, staff ended up focusing on unrelated issues, ultimately neglecting the patient’s primary concern. At no point did it feel like the patient's voice was being heard or their needs properly addressed.

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Responses

Response from Tamara Martin Garcia, Sister, Emergency Department (Eastern Services), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust last month
We are preparing to make a change
Tamara Martin Garcia
Sister, Emergency Department (Eastern Services),
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Sister Emergency Department

Submitted on 31/05/2025 at 19:50
Published on Care Opinion at 21:17


picture of Tamara Martin Garcia

Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed experience with us. I am truly sorry to hear about the distress and discomfort your family member endured during their visit to our Emergency Department. The wait times you described, along with the lack of communication and appropriate facilities, fall short of the standard of care we strive to provide.

Please be assured that your concerns about the environment, pain management delays, and the conduct of staff have been taken very seriously. We apologize for any rudeness or dismissiveness experienced; this is not reflective of the compassionate care we expect from all our team members. Your feedback regarding communication breakdowns between departments is also noted, and we will be reviewing our processes to improve coordination and ensure timely, patient-centered care.

We understand how upsetting it must have been to feel unheard and neglected, and we appreciate you bringing these issues to our attention. If you are willing, we would like to discuss this further to better understand what happened and to support you and your family member moving forward. Please feel free to contact our patient relations team at [contact info].

Thank you again for your feedback. We are committed to learning from this experience and making necessary improvements.

Tamara Martin Garcia

Emergency Department Sister

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Response from Tamara Martin Garcia, Sister, Emergency Department (Eastern Services), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 20 hours ago
We have made a change
Tamara Martin Garcia
Sister, Emergency Department (Eastern Services),
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Sister Emergency Department

Submitted on 03/07/2025 at 02:37
Published on Care Opinion at 08:16


picture of Tamara Martin Garcia

Dear ndb560,

Just a quick update on the points we’ve been working through in the department to improve patient experience:

->Teamwork and Communication

Strengthening collaboration within our team. Improving prompt and effective communication across different teams to enhance coordination and workflow.

->Compassion and Learning Focusing on learning and development around compassionate care. Encouraging continuous reflection and training in this area to support both staff and patients.

->Pain Management Improvements Working to facilitate earlier and more consistent access to pain relief from triage. Prioritizing early analgesia as part of improving overall patient comfort and care experience.

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