"No urgency for vulnerable 96yr old patient."

Mom (96yrs old) is an inpatient ward D26. This was to review her operation with you last Monday. At 5pm The ambulance arrives at D26 and transfers us. (Me, mom in her nightdress wrapped up in a wheelchair and a nurse).

Neither the regular receptionist nor the outpatients’ receptionists were expecting us.

The nurse had to register at the general reception desk and registered like any other patient (no queue for once). We waited over an hour to see the first specialist during which mom needed the toilet so our nurse called in another two nurses to assist as mom can’t stand easily. Despite dealing with in-house patients regularly you did not stock spare night gowns or pads so they had to go to the ward upstairs to get them. After an hour in the waiting room we saw the consultant who then referred us to the eye specialist waiting room area.

Our nurse tried to find out where we were on the list but the receptionist said they couldn’t tell them. Another hour passed and mom was getting weaker.

I was getting frustrated as this was thought to be a quick check up and mom was in her nighty and 3 blankets, cold and dehydrated.

The nurse persuaded me not to walk mom back through the car park. Mom last ate around 1pm and had no fluids or medication since then.

I considered pushing the wheelchair back to the main hospital but the nurse persuaded me not to. The nurse's shift ends at 7pm but they stayed over and phoned the ward to ask if anything could be done.

We couldn’t give mom any water as it needed to be thickened first to prevent infection.

Mom was deteriorating and found it hard to speak. I was getting annoyed at this administrative incompetence. I suggested we return to the ward as mom was tiring.

Apparently we need to order the return ambulance from here, so I did at the reception desk. They thought that it would take an hour to arrive and we may see the eye consultant in that time.

Our nurse asked another nurse to confirm when we would get to see the doctor.

The return ambulance arrived within 10 minutes and your nurse confirmed we were next on the list, so we stayed.

The ambulance guys stated they finished for the day in a half hours time. We stayed to see the consultant. Several times the nurse persuaded me not to leave and walk mom back the 200 metres through the car park on medical grounds.

We saw the consultant.

The consultant said an earlier emergency which all the consultants were involved in.

I suggested that if that was the situation that they just reschedule in-house patients.

There is no priority for vulnerable patients and we had been here nearly 3 hours. D26 ward arranged to change moms nurse, but as we thought it would be over soon no-one had asked them to bring over moms slippers or medicines. After the consultation we returned to the waiting room where the new nurse tried to order an ambulance to return to the ward, but it was 7:45.

We got back at 9.45pm and mom was exhausted. All of the staff were excellent, the problem is the process.