"Very poor service in A&E"

I visited Salford Royal A& E on the 17/2/17 at 1000 with excruciating pain in my left jaw.

I was seen by a triage nurse after approximately two hours and then told to wait. Finally after 5 and half hours seen by an advanced practitioner nurse and not a doctor.

X-Rays were taken of the left jaw and medication prescribed. Also told that I will be reffered to the MaxFac clinic at Salford or MRI. Cam e back home at 1700. I came back home but my pain became unbearable episodes of electric shocks on my head. At 2000 my wife drove me to A& E again at Salford Royal. I was in agony but was told to sit down in the waiting area.

I was seen by Triage nurse after couple of hours. After this I was told to wait again in the waiting area. I was agonising in pain and after further few hours bloods were taken and then told to wait.

Several times I went to the medical station complaining of my pain and was instructed to wait. After nearly six hours I saw a doctor whose initial attitude was one of you have the medication and so why are you back bothering us. The doctor said that they had seen the xray and there is slight movement of my jaw bone and I should wait for the MaxFac appointment. I explained that my pains had become very severe since my first visit earlier in the day and I can’t tolerate them. They asked how I was taking the medication? I replied as they are instructed on the boxes. The doctor went through each medication one by one annoyingly as though as I was stupid and told me that I should be taking this way. I replied that is how I had taken them.

Their tone and manner was intimidating, uncaring and unsympathetic. I explained that my wife had done some research on the internet that I could have had an episode of Trigeminal Neuroglia. What did they think?

The doctor completely dismissed it by saying that I would have been blind by now if it had been Trigeminal Neuralgia. They told me to carry on taking the medication. We returned home at nearly three o’ clock in the morning. I was exhausted, in pain and hungry. On the way I realised the doctor had not even discussed my blood sample taken and then also realised that my cannula had not been removed. On arriving at home I phoned the hospital A&E and was told that my blood was fine and I could return to hospital to remove the cannula or take it out myself. My wife took the cannula out.

I spent nearly 12 hours altogether in A&E that day.

I received the MaxFac appointment on 24/02/17 at MRI. The Doctor told me whoever refereed me had a made a mistake because they do not treat problems like mine and I should be seen by Oral surgery.

The doctor thought my condition sounded like Trigeminal Neuralgia.

I went to see my GP who also thought that it was Trigeminal Neuralgia. Finally, the A&E had taken more than 4 hours to see me each time, showed lack of empathy, provided unprofessional and uncaring service from the front desk to the medical staff and referring me incorrectly thus wasting a week.