"I waited 8 hours with a broken toe and received no help"

Before everything, I injured my toe badly and decided to wait for about two hours, hoping it might get better on its own — mainly because the ambulance system in the UK is known to be extremely slow for these kind of events. After two hours, the pain became unbearable, so I called my GP. They told me there were no appointments left for the day, which I completely understood, and they advised me to contact either NHS 111 or call an ambulance.

I called 111 first, as I already had an idea of what the ambulance might say. The call handler asked me strange questions like, whether I can take four steps? I said yes, and that was basically the end of the conversation. An hour later, I was still sitting with an ice pack on my foot, but the pain hadn’t improved at all. It had started to swell and bruise badly, even though I had already taken painkillers as 111 advised — which did absolutely nothing.

I then decided to call an ambulance and explained that I had already spoken to both my GP and 111. They asked me if my foot was broken, as if I were a doctor who had already done an X-ray myself. I told them I didn’t know, but it felt like it might be fractured because the pain was unbearable. I repeated this several times.

They kept asking whether I lived alone, and I clearly said yes — I’m in my 20s, living by myself. Despite knowing this, all they kept saying was to keep icing it. The pain continued for another two hours, the bruising got worse, the swelling increased, and I reached a point where I couldn’t even walk at all.

I called 111 again and explained that I was now unable to walk and that the painkillers were not working. The same question came again, that if I can take four steps? I said no, and told them I was in severe pain and shaking. Yet the advice was exactly the same — just keep icing it. I even told the operator that I couldn’t get to the freezer because I couldn’t walk, my voice was shaking from the pain, and I was completely alone. At one point, they suggested I go to A&E, even though I had just explained several times that I physically could not walk or get there by myself.

After seeing how unhelpful and dismissive everyone was, I decided I would just try to endure the pain overnight and see my GP the next day. But as time passed, the pain kept getting worse — it was unbearable. Eventually, a doctor called me, I believe from NHS 111, and told me that it might be a fracture and that I should go to University College Hospital.

I called a friend who lives about an hour away since I couldn’t walk properly and live alone. They came all the way to help me because even my building’s lift was out of order, so I had to go down four flights of stairs with their help, in extreme pain, on my injured foot. After that, we took a taxi to the hospital.

When I first arrived at University College Hospital, I was already very stressed because my GP had called the hospital and referred me there, saying my toe might be broken. As soon as I entered, I was confused because the sign near the reception area said “Car Park,” so I wasn’t sure where exactly I should go. I was speaking with my partner to figure it out when a staff member at the front desk spoke to me in a very rude manner. They asked something like, whether I am going to register or what in a harsh tone.

Even though I was clearly in pain and shaking from stress, their behaviour didn’t change. When I explained that a doctor had referred me and called the hospital, instead of listening, they mocked me and laughed, asking what do I mean someone called me and that if I came here because someone called me? I found this very humiliating and unprofessional, especially considering I was in distress and seeking urgent care.

So after this really bad reception experience, I sat down and waited, still feeling extremely anxious and in pain. No one clearly explained what would happen next or how long I was supposed to wait. I had arrived around 8 PM, but I didn’t leave the hospital until almost 3 AM.

Around 1 AM, I was finally called in. Despite clearly seeing that I couldn’t walk properly, no one offered any help or even held my hand to support me. Everyone was just watching while I struggled to walk on my injured foot a distance that would normally take 5 seconds took me about 5 minutes. I found this absolutely unacceptable, extremely upsetting.

When I reached the room, the doctor who had previously spoken to me on the phone for a long time and told me I would get an X-ray — looked at my foot and asked if I want an X-ray? Because they thought it might be fractured. I said yes, then they told me to wait outside again. I then had to walk all the way back to the waiting area again, completely unaided, limping wearing only one shoe and one sock.

After another 10–15 minutes of waiting, I was called for the X-ray. Once again, I had to walk there on my own. The X-ray was done, and I was told everything seemed normal. Again, nobody helped me on my way back, I had to walk all the way to the waiting room alone. About 15 minutes later, the results came back, and I was called in one last time. I walked there by myself once more, and that’s when they finally told me that I actually had a hairline fracture in my toe.