"Sad decline in quality of care"

Attended A&E Sunday morning on advice from NHS 111. Made to queue outside in the cold before being sent to different entrance. Basic triage and initial tests reasonably quick, but with the usual need to explain the same info to every member of staff. What do all the uniforms mean? Who (if anyone) is coordinating my care? Then welcome to plastic chair hell. Hung on 7 hours waiting "to be seen by a medic" Why? Is it serious? Am I being admitted? How long is the wait? Nobody volunteered this information and when I asked I was fobbed off. I told four staff lounging around in the office I was leaving but none of them bothered to update the computer so night shift sister rang me later to find out where I was. While I was there I witnessed many staff wandering around calling patients names. A massive, avoidable loss of efficiency so don't tell me your woes are due to lack of staff. I was told there was no communication between A&E and "AMU". Why not? If they know it regularly takes hours to be seen by a "medic", then set up a proper queuing system and a civilized waiting area. Offer a practical informed choice about treatment options like a GP follow up. I witnessed several people in severe pain who basically had to keep begging for pain relief. Not once was anyone proactively asked about their well being and personal/health needs. What if I had no cash or couldn't afford a rip off M&S sandwich? What if I was deaf and couldn't hear my name garbled through a mask from the doorway? Oh, by the way, memo to all staff: curtains are not sound proof. Consultations should be private.

Summary. If you have to attend QEH A&E take a picnic and some entertainment to keep yourself sane for many hours. Do not expect anyone to care about you or tell you what's happening. They have basically forgotten that the NHS is supposed to be about patient care.