"A nine hour wait in A&E"

I had previously been to A&E because I was having trouble breathing. Thankfully everything was clear, and I was given medication. I then had to go back, as I was coughing up blood and my chest felt tight.

Having been there at half seven and triaged about ten to ten, it was extremely disheartening to be sitting there terrified and thinking something was wrong, only to see the reception staff turning terrified people away, preferring to scroll on their phones and loudly gossip.

The member of staff on reception I spoke to was rather rude, telling me long waiting was just how A&E worked.

When I was finally seen around twenty past four in the morning, I spent five minutes being examined. I was almost dismissed as the doctor spoke over me, and when it showed I had burst blood vessels in my throat, I was told to take soothers and was sent away.

I had tried phoning 111 earlier in the day, trying to avoid a wait as long if I didn’t need to, but I was on the phone waiting to talk to someone for almost an hour. Not very quick.

I left feeling guilty and embarrassed, as I could have easily avoided wasting my time and my family’s. I understand the reception team don’t know waiting times and no doubt everyone there is working tirelessly, but in my experience the system they’ve created is absolutely disgraceful, and changes should absolutely be made.