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Feeling abandoned in A&E

Posted By Disappointed Ex Healthcare worker

"Feeling abandoned in A&E"

About: Craigavon Area Hospital / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

I was sent to A&E after a consultation with my GP for an urgent scan to rule out a CSF leak as I was showing all the symptoms.

During triage the nurse was very dismissive of the letter the doctor wrote, commenting that my symptoms could be anything.

I waited almost 5 hours to have bloods taken and then I was left for 6 hours with no contact from anyone.

Currently still in A&E with an empty water vending machine and no sign of any doctor coming near me. At this time of night I know I will not be getting any scan so why don't they just tell me that and let me leave instead of keeping me here all night?

My care has been non existent. No nurses have even came out to check on anyone who has been waiting all day. I could have died in the corridor and not 1 member of staff would know about it.

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Responses

Response from Jill Robinson, Admin Support , Executive Directorate of Nursing Midwifery, AHP’s and Functional Support Services, Southern Health and Social Care Trust 5 days ago
Jill Robinson
Admin Support , Executive Directorate of Nursing Midwifery, AHP’s and Functional Support Services,
Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 26/06/2025 at 09:31
Published on Care Opinion at 09:31

Hello Disappointed Ex Healthcare Worker

Thank you for taking the time to post about your experience in CAH A&E.

I want to apologise for the vending machine being empty, I have asked the catering manager to contact the vending company to investigate this matter and request that all vending machines are restocked more frequently during periods of high demand, such as warm weather.

I hope you are recovering well after your visit to CAH.

Jill Robinson

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Response from Jill Green, Ward Manager, Emergency Department, Craigavon Area Hospital, Medicine and Unscheduled Care Directorate, Southern Health and Social Care Trust 5 days ago
Jill Green
Ward Manager, Emergency Department, Craigavon Area Hospital, Medicine and Unscheduled Care Directorate,
Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 26/06/2025 at 14:44
Published on Care Opinion at 14:44

Good afternoon Disappointed Ex health worker,

Thank you for highlighting your concerns on your unfortunate visit to the ED.

I apologise that you had to wait so long for bloods and to be seen by a Doctor. Unfortunately when the department has a high volume of patients or is short staffed this can mean waiting times for are longer than we expect them to be. This can be frustrating for patients and for the staff.

Unfortunately I can not fully investigate your anonymous concerns without details of your attendance to the ED. The nurse should not have dismissed your GP letter. In ED if we are fully staffed we normally have a waiting room nurse that calls patients in every 2 hours to check their observations, offer hydration and pain relief if required. Again, I can not determine if there was a nurse assigned to this role on your attendance without any details so I apologise for that.

Thank you again for taking the time to post and I will share the learning from this feedback with the nursing team in ED.

I trust that you got seen to and are recovering well.

Sr Green.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
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