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"Poor treatment"

About: The Ulster Hospital / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

I recently attended the Ulster ED, waited over hour to be seen by triage with pancreatitis (which is urgent).  I was later on called for bloods and not seen till the almost 4 in the morning. I had to literally beg for pain relief and anti-sickness. I take other strong painkillers at home and can't take co-codamol due to the other painkillers and the nurse told me I should have taken my regular pain meds so I was able to take co-codamol, this was due to hospital not able to get a line in my arm.

When they finally did I was given painkillers anti-sickness through IV. The next morning around 4am the doctor finally seen me and I told them this was my pancreas and sent me for chest x-ray and waited some time again after getting x-ray and doing urine sample to be told it was a bowel obstruction they were looking for and found nothing. Then they stated it was a flare of whatever I was having, just go home. I stated 4 times it was my pancreas!

I went home and phoned Out of Hours, who again stated it was indeed my pancreas and if the pain get worse go straight to hospital. I had spoken to my cystic fibrosis team and also stated hospital if the pain gets so bad, well I went again to the Ulster Hospital and was taken fairly quickly but again didn't class pancreatitis as urgent,  they couldn't get a line in and now my arms are covered in bruises really bad. I had to beg for pain reilef and anti-sickness etc which they didn't seem to bothered about!

I was in real bad pain and left in a corner basically with a few seats a doctor ask was I ok once or twice, I actually stated no not really to be fair!

4 hours went by and still nothing no one came near me so I ask for the line to be taken out as I was sore tired and zoning in and out. The nurse earlier did stated I needed fluids as I was severely dehydrated and that way they couldn't get line in. So I went spoke to a nurse try to explain the way I was feeling and asked when I was next to be seen, hours yet they said, I told them this was urgent and need seen straightaway, they then said no it was then I asked for the line to be taken out so I could go home. The next day I went to another hospital, where I was told it was emergency and was treated straightaway.

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Responses

Response from Colin Patterson, Governance, Involvement & Experience Lead, Safe & Effective Care, South Eastern HSC Trust 3 months ago
Colin Patterson
Governance, Involvement & Experience Lead, Safe & Effective Care,
South Eastern HSC Trust

I help the experience team work with everyone across the trust; both staff and our service users; to promote care that is safe and effective using patient, client and carer experience to help shape the care we deliver.

Submitted on 02/09/2025 at 10:40
Published on Care Opinion at 13:14


picture of Colin Patterson

Dear Twinkle999

My name is Colin Patterson. My position is Governance, Experience and Involvement Lead, with a principal role in improving our service users experience - this includes stories shared on Care Opinion.

Can I thank you for taking the time to post your experience of the Ulster ED, I am very sorry to learn of this experience and the impact it has had on you. Thank you for all of the information you have provided here. I just wanted to post a response to assure you what you have shared has not gone unheard by the Trust.

The service are reviewing this experience and will be in contact with you in due course.

Again, I apologise to you for the elements of your journey that fell below the expected standard and I thank you for taking the time to share it on this platform.

Kindest regards

Colin Patterson

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