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"The long wait..."

About: Royal Victoria Hospital / Accident & Emergency

(as the patient),

I have been sitting for hours, in pain, on uncomfortable seats, in the cold (the door is open, allowing the cold and the smell of smoke wafts frequently throughout the building), waiting to be seen by someone who I hope will be able to help me.

Over-stretched and often, short in bedside manner, the staff I see, shuffle about, avoiding eye contact.

Other patients are getting impatient and irritable in the waiting area. The only opportunity for a coffee or some form of junk food refreshment are the vending machines… cash only. I’m finding it easier by the hour to understand why tempers can fray in a waiting room. People - human beings - are being left to sit in conditions that are neither fit for purpose or appropriate. Hungry, sick, sore, tired… wanting to go home.

Nurses and doctors look over-worked and under-staffed.

I feel frustrated, forgotten, uncomfortable and a burden.

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Responses

Response from Máire Alexander, Patient and Client Experience Manager, Patient and Client Experience Team, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 2 years ago
Máire Alexander
Patient and Client Experience Manager, Patient and Client Experience Team,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Submitted on 21/09/2021 at 12:45
Published on Care Opinion at 12:45


picture of Máire Alexander

Dear triangulumpe97,

My name is Máire and I'm part of the Patient and Client Experience Team within the Belfast Trust.

I can hear how challenging you have found the wait at RVH ED recently and I want to apologise for this. I am sorry to hear that you felt frustrated and forgotten, that is certainly not the standard of care that we would aim for in BHSCT.

We are aware that patients can find the waiting times difficult, and that when people are unwell, it is not pleasant to be waiting for treatment.

I hope that you did receive treatment that helped you, and I wish you all the best moving forward.

I also want to send you my sincere thanks for sending us your feedback, by hearing the experiences of those who use our services, we can learn and change in order to improve how we care for those who need us. I appreciate you taking the time to help us to do better.

Máire Alexander

maire.alexander@belfasttrust.hscni.net

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