"My experience in the ED"

I attended the Emergency Department with severe episodes of central chest pain. The ambulance crew who took me to the department informed me my condition was assessed as not urgent and I that they have been advised to send me to the waiting area where I will be assessed and treated.

I was triaged within 20 minutes of waiting. The triage nurse did not ask me if I had any pain at this time. But informed me I will be called again soon for an ECG and blood test. The ECG and blood test was done an hour and fifteen minutes later.

After waiting for three and a half hours, I went back to triage to ask for some pain medicine. A staff nurse and HCSW looked straight at me and then ignored me and turned their back as if a human being wasn’t even standing there. I left and on the way back to the waiting room saw the nurse who triaged me and asked her for some pain killers and if she could also find out when I’d be seen. She came back 20minutes later to inform me that I was next to be seen. Despite this, I was still not offered any analgesia or asked how I was feeling. I waited another fifteen minutes but had to leave ED to take some analgesia.

When I got home, I received a phone call from a ED doctor, who advised me to return immediately as she felt I may be having a heart attack.

Five hours after presenting to ED, I was seen by a lovely ACP and treatment was started.

The care I received from then on was good especially from the staff in MEAU and the cardiology team.

The main reason for my concern is the treatment I received in the ED. Having worked in ED, I am aware that anyone presenting with chest pain should be assessed and reviewed every so often even when we don’t think it’s cardiac related. In my experience, it is very difficult for staff members to attend hospital especially where they work, so it was very difficult for me to attend ED.

I felt disrespected and the care I received was undignified, unprofessional, and uncaring. I did not experience any compassion whatsoever. I can only put this experience down to the colour of my skin.

I don’t think its fair. I have worked for the NHS for 30 years and for ULHT for 13years, most of it in ED. It’s scary. I can only imagine how my fellow black patients are treated.

I want an explanation about why I was treated this way and a promise that it will not happen to anyone else again in the future, black or white. I could have died in the waiting room. This thought has been giving me PTSD.