"A&E Department not on review options - I wonder…"

CQC has AGAIN in this consecutive year 2021 warned University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (DERRIFORD) that it must make significant and immediate improvements to the urgent and emergency care department at Derriford Hospital - CORRECT! The Dept is a disgrace with pateint waiting times over 10 hours, and indifferent attitude by staff, including those at reception.

So, wife taken by ambulance to A&E early this morning. Husband rings hospital main switchboard for update but A&E don't pick up and no call from the hospital. Husband rings several times during the day but the same outcome. Around 1830 hrs husband rings main switchboard again and is put through to A&E once more but this time gets someone on the phone. Find out that wife in in Majors A&E and I'm put through, but there's no answer, so A&E receptionist gives me a direct line number. I ring and eventually the phone is answered and I'm talking to wife; she knows as much as me about what's going on, and is still being evaluated. Before I end the call I ask wife to have the person in charge call me, as I want to know if wife is remaining over night or coming home - No call. I ring again, ringing direct line and waiting, waiting.... only for the call to be ended by those on the other end. I leave it and try again but the same result! It is now 2000hrs and I don't know ANYTHING, absolutely nothing about wife's condition or her intended discharge or admission. I am absolutely livid and call the main switchboard again, only for the same unanswered result, after being put through to A&E Majors by the main switchboard the call is ended by those at the other end. I try the direct line again and again, but it's the same outcome; around 5 minutes hearing the ringing before the dreaded silence, and so it starts over again, and again..... My wife could be dead for all I know but who cares, well no one at Derriford Hospital, that's for sure.

My advice for those who feel that they need to go to hospital, I say, find another, Derriford, this major hospital is simply awful. Yes, there are a handful of great nurses who go the extra mile, but the majority couldn't give a damn; and for God's sake don't think about going there at the weekends as most of the senior staff have left by Friday lunchtime for their weekend break, and won't be back until Monday lunchtime at the earliest. A third world country would provide better service than this hell hole.