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Unacceptable A&E waiting times

Posted By Worried and scared

"Unacceptable A&E waiting times"

About: Craigavon Area Hospital / Emergency Department Craigavon Area Hospital / General Medicine (2 south)

(as a service user),

I came into hospital emergency department on a Friday evening mid October.  I was seen very quickly sue to severe pain in my abdomen area my second time in a&e since mungall bladder removal at daisy hill. During my first stay I was rushed out the door told I was fine to go home after a few day then back only 6 days after my first admission. During my stay on  I was left in a chair in the corridor for over 90 hours in a reclining chair baring in mind I also have bulging discs in my spine and two brain aneurysms. I was even on the floor screaming with pain on the Monday and was told to get up of the floor and that it was disgusting to be on the floor, they didn't help me get of the floor I had to do it myself then told me to lie back, which I could not do due to being crippled over in pain with tears rolling down my face and my sobs heard aloud from other corridors.

It wasn't until the Tuesday that I was moved to medical ward after my sister had to come in and after seeing my face swollen, my feet like elephant feet and the pain I had experienced for such a long period, being so visibly upset by the standard of care her sister had gone through.

During my stay on the ward I heard a staff also tell a patient that they were lucky to be getting food at all and wasn't it grand that they were able to request breakfast 3 times before they got some.

Absolutely Craigavon hospital a&e need to do better. It was truly a very traumatic event. That's all I will say about the matter for now.

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Responses

Response from Stacey Hardy, Lead Nurse Emergency Departments (Craigavon Area Hospital / Daisy Hill Hospital) & STH Minors Injuries Unit, Medicine and Unscheduled Care Directorate, Southern Health and Social Services Trust 7 hours ago
Stacey Hardy
Lead Nurse Emergency Departments (Craigavon Area Hospital / Daisy Hill Hospital) & STH Minors Injuries Unit, Medicine and Unscheduled Care Directorate,
Southern Health and Social Services Trust

Submitted on 27/10/2025 at 14:57
Published on Care Opinion at 14:57

Thank you for taking the time to share your recent experience of Craigavon ED. Firstly I wish to say how truly sorry I am that you were nursed on the blue corridor for a considerably long and unacceptable time while awaiting an in-patient bed on the ward. The ED continues to be significantly overcrowded and given that there are only 34 cubicles available and that the daily number of patients awaiting allocation of an in-patient bed exceeds that significantly the ED staff are unable to facilitate all patients being nursed in a cubicle space.

The ED doctors continue to see and assess new patients to try and manage the waiting time but unfortunately this increases the pressure on the capacity for the patients awaiting ward allocation.

The trust recognise the significant issues in ED for patients waiting and are working on a number of ways to improve this.

I would also like to apologise that you were in pain and did not feel supported by the ED staff to ensure your comfort needs were met.

I will share your experience with the ED team for learning and reflection on how we could have made your experience better.

Thank You

Stacey

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Response from Erin Cassidy, Ward Sister 2 South, Craigavon Area Hospital, Medicine and Unscheduled Care Directorate, Southern Health and Social Care Trust 6 hours ago
Erin Cassidy
Ward Sister 2 South, Craigavon Area Hospital, Medicine and Unscheduled Care Directorate,
Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 27/10/2025 at 15:36
Published on Care Opinion at 15:38

Hello,

Thank you for providing your recent feedback from your hospital admission. Regarding your feedback in relation to your ward experience in 2 south I would like to say sorry for how staff inappropriately answered to a patient in relation to their meals. This standard of care is not acceptable and I will share your feedback with staff to avoid this happening in the future.

We wish you well in your recovery

kind regards,

Erin Cassidy

Ward manager

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