"Unhelpful and uncaring"

My teenage daughter sprained her ankle and after calling 111 and being told to go to the nearest a&e as minor injuries were closed, we came to Hairmyres. We arrived at 10.30pm and were told the waiting time could be up to an 8 hour wait. As her ankle was badly swollen and her being in so much pain we decided to stay and wait for an X-ray and examination.  

The whole experience from beginning to end was horrendous. We felt like reception more or less tried to chase us back out the door, with staff members saying it’s just a minor injury and they open in the morning, basically they were cold and unkind in their approach and manner, coming across as very unhelpful.

The nurses we met were honestly not much better, they never gave a straight answer about anything apart from every time I asked what was happening or when we would be seen I was told you are next. We were eventually took through to another room where again someone came in asked all of the questions we had given at reception, then to nurse for paracetamol, then to nurse through at the cubicle. About 4 times through the night I asked if it would be better going home and going to minor injuries next morning, to be told we would be next.

We waited to 7.30am in a room without a soul anywhere near. I had to go up and down the corridor to get someone for more pain relief. Unhelpful, uncaring, worst experience I have ever had in a hospital. Felt let down by the NHS big time. I could have understood if the place was busy but it wasn’t. Eventually we left as I couldn’t stand back and see my daughter crying in pain any longer without someone helping. I have never experienced what I would define as complete and utter pure, inconsiderate neglect.

The services within the department were also atrocious as there not even a machine you could buy water or juice and the machine that was working only sold chocolate , took our money, and didn’t deliver any items. When we went to reception they said they couldn’t do anything as the machine had nothing to do with them but they could give me a number to contact the company.  So I lost money also.