"The NHS at its worst. "

We took my partners 18 year old son to the Arrowe Park Hospital walk in centre. He was in agony with pain from his abdomen. Vomiting and almost loosing consciousness. We where told that he could wait 4 hours so try AE. A very inhuman response awaited us at AE, a further wait of 4 hours. My partner was distraught watching her son in agony and being told that she was being rude by a very officious nurse who was totally lacking human skills did not help our situation. This young man was in agony and the waiting room was full of people with sore fingers and colds, drunks and drug takers. What is classed as an emergency? After demanding to see and eventually seeing a manager who clearly could see the distress this young man was suffering, he was admitted and after treatment and examination told that he has a serious medical problem that requires immediate investigation. And in the opinion of an AE doctor he has been let down by his GP and the NHS. The point I am making in this review is the lack of humility and common sense from desk checkin staff. They could clearly see the distress and pain this young man was in. Yet they were prepared to let him wait for 4 hours. They become impatient with a parent in distress. They were prepared to let him wait behind those with sore fingers and colds. There has to be a more efficient method of identifying an emergency. As for the staff lacking in humility they need training or they should ask themselves should they be in a caring profession. This hospital is constantly letting down those who it serves, the community that depends upon it.