"Admission to A&E"

My husband fell at 9:30 pm banging his head. He has mobility problems and cannot get up. He has been advised to attend A&E because he is on blood thinners  and has a history of haematomas. The ambulance crew were excellent and arrived in approx 45 minutes.

However once in A&E my husband waited until 6.30 am for a scan although a member of staff started preparing him within about 30 minutes of arrival. Communication between staff seemed poor because we were given contradictory information.  The ARC did not appear busy. 

No one offered my husband a drink  until about 6 am when he was moved to a different area nearer radiology.  Fortunately I had managed to locate, with difficulty, the water point  in a corner behind a member of staff working on a computer. There were several unaccompanied patients who had no access to drinks

Staff in the ARC were mostly pleasant.

I believe jugs of water and glasses should be routinely placed on patients trolleys. 

The young lady from CT had an excellent manner.  We had been told if results were normal my husband could go home. We waited 2 hours and eventually  I intercepted a nursing sister who went to find out what had happened.  When we were told all was normal I went to find a wheelchair. I discovered that there is no procedure to return wheelchairs to a wheelchair bay. No one could tell me where to find one  I was told that apparently some are left in the car park, odd areas outside., some disappear. Whilst hunting a member of staff found me and said my husband was being transferred to a ward - Frailty. I thought this must be a mistake. Again this was contrary to what we had been told. 

On Frailty we were told he needed an MOT to check for any underlying reasons for his fall. I mentioned on transfer that he had not been given breakfast and was told he would have it on that ward. My husband was not offered any food or drink during his time there.

The advanced nurse practitioner who eventually assessed him was very thorough and pleasant. When she finished a member of staff fetched a wheelchair for us to go home. She pushed my husband out into the corridor but the ANP came and fetched us back saying the doctor had to see what she had written. He spoke to my husband very briefly and then at last we were allowed to go.  I was thankful my husband had not sustained any serious injury.

 Positives:

1. There are some good individual staff members working at the hospital

2. Cleaner in the ARC works hard to maintain high standards.

Negatives:

1. Bedside water should be routinely provided for patients in the ARC

2. Communication needs to improve between staff and with patients and relatives.

3. Access to wheelchairs must be improved. Create a wheelchair parking area, label wheelchairs - Please return this wheelchair others are waiting to use it.  Allocate a member of staff to regularly check for stray wheelchairs and return them.

4.  Frailty Ward must ensure patients are not left for hours without food and drink because this in itself will contribute to frailty.