"Variable Care"

I attended FVRH on Friday 10th at around 7.40am.  I was referred there after having phoned NHS 111 with epigastric pain and fever.  By the time I arrived I was feeling very lightheaded and had difficulty standing upright.  At reception I needed to lower myself down to the floor as my vision was going likely due to low blood pressure.

The staff member i saw for triage was exceptionally rude. When I walked in I asked if I could lie down for the observations to be taken and was told no I had to sit in a chair. I pointed to where the pain was just under my breast bone and over my stomach.  Lower abdominal pain they said.  I corrected them that that is the epigastric region not lower abdomen (I'm a health care professional myself).  They told me that it is lower abdominal pain.  I was then asked me why I hadn't gone to the GP. I explained that I was sent there by NHS 111. Their response was that I now go back to the waiting area and get on the phone to my GP.   

Needless to say I stayed as was feeling too unwell to get back home.  The wait for the first review was reasonable given the extreme pressures (around 1.5 hours).  

I was admitted overnight, needed around 4L of intravenous fluid due to low blood pressure. I also needed intravenous morphine for pain relief and a CT scan was requested.  

The care given in AE but in particular by the overnight surgical unit admission nurses was very good.  Nothing was a problem for them. The staff in in AE who did the initial review, the surgical registrars and the medical resident doctor who reviewed overnight were all very courteous and explained the plan well. I do believe however that some communication skills training is needed by that particular staff member.  I also appreciate the need to divert patients away from ED during high pressure times but it is also inappropriate to be bouncing people back in between services once they have been referred there.