I was taken to hospital by ambulance for a neck injury. They understood that I couldn't lay flat and be immobilized due to spinal issues. I was left in the A&E ward seating area in a lot of pain and discomfort. Eventually I was seen by a junior doctor. He wanted to xray me but when I explained that I couldn't lay flat he touched my neck and back and then sent me home with nothing.
During the week, I was in excruciating pain and had to go to the doctors explaining that I probably needed an MRI. On the following Frida,y I had tipped my head back which resulted in dizzy sickness, hot a cold temperature, palpitations and not being able to think or speak clearly with excessive pain down my right arm. I rang the NHS direct who immediately called ambulance and returned to Redhill Hospital. This time they put me on a trolley, taking into consideration my neck and back concerns and assigned me a bay.
Shortly after the doctor came to see me and arranged an xray to be done in the sitting position. This showed a prolapsed vertebra in the cervical (neck) area.
I was disappointed that this had not been considered first time around and whilst understanding a wish to avoid excessive radio waves, they could at the very least discharged me with a need for an MRI then.
My return to this A&E resulted in much more professionalism and better staff. It's unfortunate it took 2 visits at increased cost to the NHS to diagnose what should have been established at the outset.
This also could have made a difference to charges being made against the perpetrator.
"Following physical assault on me"
About: East Surrey Hospital / Accident and emergency East Surrey Hospital Accident and emergency RH1 5RH South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust Crawley RH10 9BG
Posted by LitSpirit (as ),