"Waiting times"

Dear julywy83

thank you for posting on the care opinion platform with respect to a recent experience as a service user within our department. I am sorry to read it appears to have fallen below your expectations as a patient and for us as a service provider. My name is John Kerr, an Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) in the Emergency Department (ED) and I shall be responding on behalf of the ED.

Firstly, I would like to apologise for any offence, upset or misunderstanding caused by the information given to you and how this has made you feel. It is not our intention to cause any offence. The ED is dynamic and ever changing place and as a result, waiting times are approximate and are subject to change without notice. The times can change depending on the clinical need and the resources available to us at any given time.

It is disappointing to read how you felt we had a low amounts of staff and who, in your opinion, felt were not good enough. I would like to assure sure you, that our staffing levels are maintained inline with the Department of Health's (DOH) guidelines and that all our staff, are highly trained and skilled professionals. All staff vetted to ascertain their suitability to working within the ED environment and who also adhere to their respective professional bodies code of practices.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the patient services available to you, which can assist in reducing to pressures on the ED and assist in the patient point of care need.

GP services ( contact local Surgery for opening times)

GPOOH 18:00 to your own GP opening times Tel 028 71865195

Local Pharmacist (see local area) for details

'Phone first' Tel 0300 020 6000 from 0800 to 1200 MN

Finally I hope this response finds you well and are recovering well

Kind regards

John Kerr ENP

SWAH ED