"Poor care in A&E"

I visited A&E in the late evening between approximately 10.00pm and 3.00am. I had a severe cornea abrasion and a laceration to my right eye, which caused temporary complete vision loss and excruciating pain. I am also pregnant with twins (high risk pregnancy).

The experience at the hospital from start to finish was nothing short of traumatising. I was treated with what felt like utter contempt and some of the staff were aggressive.

I was screaming in pain, hyperventilating and had no vision. Despite my clear distress, a nurse grabbed me, shoved me onto a chair and forcibly put a mask on my face with no warning. I was gasping for air, saying that I couldn't breathe as I was in a state of panic over my vision loss and pain. They belligerently replied that I was breathing perfectly fine.

From here on in, the Doctor followed this with similar behaviour. It was clear that they did not recognise the severity of my injury (which it was later discovered was very serious). Instead of focussing on my treatment, I was asked if I had a history of anxiety (which I don't have). This had zero bearing on my care, and it felt implied that I had made it up. After 5 hours, their tune changed when they realised that I had an excruciating and serious injury, for which I was transferred to an Ophthalmologist at St George's Hospital.

The staff did not at any point check in on my pregnancy, nor did they did not ask any questions about any possible harm to my babies. On informing me that I needed to be transferred to St George's, they simply told me to get 'public transport' - at 3.00am - despite the fact I had no vision, was in severe pain and heavily pregnant.

The care in this hospital shocked me to my very core and I am still in trauma from the whole experience. The aggressive actions and bad language from the staff was beyond anything I have ever seen in the NHS..