"Accident and Emergency Walk In Visit"

After struggling to breathe in the early hours I was advised to attend the QE A&E department by 111 as “capacity was good”. As we travelled by car as was advised this would be quicker, we arrived at the QE at approx 6am. As at this point I was so wheezy I couldn’t talk, the receptionist took my details from my partner and we were then asked to sit in the waiting room. I was absolutely horrified to see that literally all seats were taken, people were actually asleep lying all over the floor. Finally managed to get a seat, clearly distrsssed, scared and struggling to breathe. The whole waiting room was absolutely filthy, used vomit bowls, tissues, god knows what else strewn around. Wanted to go to the toilet but couldn’t as someone was lying asleep across the toilet doors. I was honestly shocked and felt very vulnerable. Triaged by a very nice nurse, bloods taken and ECG and then advised I had a further wait of up to 8 hours to see a doctor, the wait being back in the overcrowded and dirty waiting room ( no chairs available at this point so had to stand up??!) still struggling to breathe at this point. I totally appreciate patients are seen on a priority basis however an up to 8 hour wait for a person to be treated for acute shortness of breath to the point I couldn’t talk I feel is unacceptable, sat ( or standing) in the awful waiting room. I asked my partner to take me home, went straight to GP as at this point the surgery was open. On arrival my GP immediately gave me a nebuliser and steroids.

I am in no way blaming the hard working staff however work could be done on the waiting area, security or staff could check on the situation in the waiting area and it could be a lot lot cleaner.

In comparison my partner attended the same A and E a fortnight before for a head injury, went via the ambulance route and was treated very promptly and the area he was in was comfortable and clean.