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Long wait outside A&E

Posted By MM012

"Long wait outside A&E"

About: Craigavon Area Hospital / Emergency Department Northern Ireland Ambulance Service / Emergency ambulance response

(as a relative),

My partner became unwell at home and was transferred to craigavon hospital via ambulance. The NIAS staff were great. Unfortunately we had to wait 4 hours outside in the ambulance. When we came inside, not one staff member explained what was happening or what we needed to do. We have been waiting an additional 7 hours at this point. My partner left the house 11 hours ago and has not seen a nurse or doctor. As a HSC employee, I am aware that employees need to be honest and transparent with the patients. We are frustrated with the waiting times whilst my partner has felt unwell. Whilst we acknowledge it is not the staffs fault, it's the system, we do feel staff could be more informative with the patients particularly with regards to how they are triaged and prioritised and with regards to waiting times.

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Responses

Response from Amanda Sweetlove, NIAS, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service 3 years ago
Amanda Sweetlove
NIAS,
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service

Service User feedback

Submitted on 22/12/2021 at 11:00
Published on Care Opinion at 11:00

picture of Amanda Sweetlove

Dear MM012

Thank you for your very kind compliments for the staff who attended to your partner during his recent need for medical attention.

Sadly during these difficult days of COVID 19 patients need to be kept as safe as possible, both inside the hospital and outside. Whilst not ideal, it is vital to try to prevent the spread.

I would happily offer your compliments directly to the crew involved for their treatment and care if you could provide me with a few extra details. Please contact me on amanda.sweetlove@nias.hscni.net if you wish me to pursue this.

I hope your partner is feeling a great deal better.

Kind regards

Amanda

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Response from Paul Smyth, Head of Service Emergency Departments, Medicine and Unscheduled Care Directorate, Southern Health and Social Care Trust 3 years ago
Paul Smyth
Head of Service Emergency Departments, Medicine and Unscheduled Care Directorate,
Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 06/01/2022 at 16:00
Published on Care Opinion at 16:00

Good afternoon


Thank you for sharing your experience on Care Opinion.


Unfortunately when you attended the emergency department was overcrowded, that is why you waited so long in the ambulance, there were inpatient beds closed on wards due to the hospital having to segregate patients with covid. There have been significant numbers of patients delayed in the ED waiting on admission beds. This then leads to a lack of cubical space to assess new patients attending.


Nursing staff in the emergency become stretched as they have to care for a large cohort of patients who are waiting on admission beds, this sadly leads to longer waiting times. This is not just a regional problem in the emergency departments in Northern Ireland but is also prevalent in health Trusts in England.


However, your partner should have been advised of the waiting time in triage and the reasons for any delay. We apologise that does not seemed to have happened.


We hope that he is now recovering.


Regards


Paul Smyth
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