"Dirty, Disorganised, Lack of Bedside Manner"

On Saturday evening I was seen by an out of hours doctor to whom I was referred by 111. This doctor gave me antibiotics for an infection and told me to attend A&E within 24 hours if symptoms did not improve. As I was feeling worse, despite taking the antibiotics as instructed, I came to Queen Elizabeth A&E 24 hours after seeing the 111 GP.

At reception I was greeted curtly by the receptionist who told me frankly that unless I had a letter from the 111 doctor, I would have to be assessed by the nurse and the urgent care centre (UCC) doctors at the hospital before being admitted to A&E. I was in significant pain, which I explained. She insisted that without a letter from the doctor, I could not be admitted to A&E. Since when does one need a letter to access A&E? If a patient presents with significant flank and abdominal pain caused by an infection, is this not good grounds to be seen in A&E? I also informed the receptionist I have two underlying chronic health conditions that could exacerbate my reaction to the infection. She did not seem to care about this.

When I was seen by the nurse in the entrance waiting area, she told me to go to the UCC. I was given no explanation as to whom I would see, how long I would wait or what next steps would be. I was not offered pain relief. Bloods were not taken.

In the UCC we were not greeted nor given any information as to wait times or next steps. When I tried to speak to somebody to find out what would happen next, I was ignored. My husband spoke to somebody who ignored him and walked away from him. The second time he spoke with her, she gave him no information and simply said we had to wait.

In the waiting area I began to feel worse and I collapsed. It was at this point that I was finally taken to a room and put on a bed. However even then all that happened was I was transferred to the initial A&E waiting room where I had been at the start! There my bloods were finally taken. Why did the people I spoke to not take my seriously at the start and listen to me when I said I needed to be seen at A&E?

In this waiting room I was, again, left and collapsed again. This time, nobody came to help me.

When I finally saw a doctor, he was professional and courteous and took reasonable steps to ascertain my condition and rule out any serious complications. However in the end all I was given was some strong painkillers which I cannot take as they are contraindicated for people with my condition. However by this point I had been at the hospital for more than 6 hours and I could not be bothered to explain to the doctor that the drugs he was giving me I would not be able to take. I came home and am taking care of the pain myself.

Not only was the communication appalling, but the hospital was filthy. The bathrooms were in a disgusting state in every area of the hospital except the x-ray department. There were wet and soiled blankets on waiting room chairs and dust and used tissues on the floor.

A disgrace.