"A&E + Overnight stay"

Firstly the staff at NGH are fantastic.

Your IT system and processes are not. You have got to support your staff with a decent IT infrastructure.

Seven hours 45 minutes in A&E on a busy Sunday night is not good, but your staff were overwhelmed by volume. Some of the people and their behaviour was beyond my belief, but your staff took it in their stride.

My journey started in the Springfield unit, bit of a wait as only one doctor on duty, but it was Sunday night. Seen, details entered into IT system, hospital department phones in my presence and expecting me. Sent back to A&E reception. 

Reception told me to wait in an area. Eventually seen by a  nurse. Repeat full story, including Springfield as they did not have me on the system. Wait again then another nurse takes some bloods.

Another wait and Im summoned to an examination room,  to be told we didn't know where you were....I was exactly where I was told to be.

Once again IT system doesn't seem to have worked and full story including springfield, first nurse and blood test repeated. Doctor goes away after telling me I'm staying in overnight and a bit of a wait and a nurse appears, apologises as she has to take more blood due to the last lot congealing.  Nurse tells me no beds available. I volunteer to go home and  appear tomorrow. Shot of antibiotics off I go at 02:45 to appear in Ambulatory care for 08:30 next morning.

The IT system sort of worked as they were expecting me, but failed as it didn't seem to give them the full history of the consultations the night before.

No problem, they get to it contact a department, followed by the question to me...weren't you meant to be there last night. Yes I think I was.

Off to the ward, get treatment, and wake up at 03:00. Im near the nurse station and hear all the beds in the ward are full and they have four more patients needing admission. Staff are great, I hear them working through options and they form a plan. 30 minutes later a consultant STORMS in and demands their patient is admitted over the one they prioritised. (Decisions can only be judged on the information available at the time, not hindsight).

The day goes on and I'm getting discharged, quite rightly asked to give up my bed fo new patient. I always felt I had the option to say no.

While waiting I get to overhear two nurse managers (wore dark blue uniforms) discussing one of the night shift workers decision making skills and need for additional training. The one doing the complaining made no effort to disguise the identity of the staff member in query and i knew immediately who it was. 

Today I get  a text 80870

Thinking about your experience in A&E...would you recommend service to family and friends..1 Extremely Likely, 2.etc.this is free to reply to.

1. It is A&E what option did I have? As it is the only option, of course my answer is 1. Extremely likely.

2. My phone told me the service wasn't free.

3. You have to come up with questions that will help you improve.Would that question have passed a GCSE marketing test....Honestly No.

I know this is a rant, but look at the facts.

IT system not connecting between departments.

Departments not knowing where a patient is.

Unclear hierarchy.

Poor management or not having the right management.

Your staff are great, you are not, please help them by doing better.