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"You expect to get the right help at all times"

About: Leicester Royal Infirmary / Trauma and orthopaedics

(as a service user),

In Early December 2020 I had an accident - A pavement in awful condition caused me to fall due to a 10cm hole in the middle of an already uneven pavement. In pain, I was taken to hospital, seen fairly quickly and got told my ankle was broken, but only sustained straining & bruising in my shoulder, hip knee and pelvis. I was not shown the xrays, and even asked to see them, or take a photo of them for me to see, yet i was told this was not possible. I even had to ask what part was broken, was told some long name and she walked off. I was told I wouldn't need an operation, but would be given a boot to wear, and said I was at risk of getting a DVT and would I take injections. I said I took insulin so that was not a problem. (It seemed that this wasn't expected and she then said " well now that means you will have to go to EDU for that, and raced off to get the paperwork ready. A few mins later another nurse returned with a boot and crutches. She put the boot on for me, explained I needed to put the MIDDLE strap over first then the bottom and finally the top, and then showed me how to use the crutches. I asked about painkillers and what to expect next, she said 1 would get an appointment within 2 weeks, if I don't chase it up, keep foot elevated for 2 weeks, then can start to bare weight. I asked about pain relief, was told that they would get something for me, (which they did - codeine based 30mg take 1 per ) With that I was sent up to EDU. 

I was in agony on arrival back home, taking a mixture of paracetamol and the pills given, however this didn't help. I called my GP in the morning, after no sleep and crying in pain. |My GP said that the dose given was nothing, and told to triple the dose if doubling doesn't ease the pain. I did this, called the GP the following day, was given Oromorph but that did nothing, The following day after yet a 3rd night of no sleep, I contacted my GP and asked for some Zapain which I used with my arthritis, This worked! Still in  a great deal of pain a week after the incident, I called the Fracture clinic. I mentioned my foot (ankle) kept rubbing on the back when I moved, and also on the side - The nurse asked if I had air in it, to this I thought she meant did i open up the velcro to give some air! After a few confusing minuets she realised I was in the wrong boot! The one I should have been was to support my injury, not damage it further. She asked me to go in the next morning which I did, and had it confirmed (and then asked who /where had done this - I said in it was the room next door, and she looked a little concerned! She had to re-position my foot (it was at 120 deg angle because my foot had not had any support, and very painfully she adjusted my foot back to the 90 deg angle it should have been in the first place!. She apologized, said I would have to start treatment again and would get an appointment to check it in a further 2 weeks. I have spent all day today - every min calling and getting told something different. I was told by bookings (main switchboard) that there was a followup appointment on 5th Feb!!!!! Then said to try calling them to talk to them in clinic. I have tried 50 times , either I get a busy or no answer, it cuts me off. I am so very cross. Can i bare weight yet, I was never told to put ice on my ankle yet all the  literature I have found say it should be iced. My foot goes purple when it is down and still gives me pain. I have tried putting weight on it but is painful. I do not know what to believe now, and again lost faith in the NHS.

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