"Shocking A&E - dirty, rude staff, over crowded."

Anything else?

I accompanied my 84 year old grandmother to A&E yesterday (via ambulance) The paramedics were brilliant, calm, friendly and very professional, the same cant be said for the staff at the hospital. The majority of the staff we spoke to were rude and seemed annoyed that we were bothering them. No information was freely given to us, we had to ask at every opportunity. No one came to check on my grandmother and she was often left on her own, while we were told to wait in the waiting area. We had to find someone to bring a bed pan (the staff member who came was not very forthcoming) Whilst there I needed the toilet, I found some toilets after asking a porter for directions and had to use the male toilet (I am female) as the female toilet had blood on the floor. Eventually (after over 6 hours) she was given a drip, the delay had partly been due to the doctor writing it in her notes but not asking a nurse to do it. Was really disappointed in the cleanliness and efficiency of the hospital, people were lined up down the corridors and in the waiting areas, paramedics standing around with patients waiting to be 'checked in.' The treatment room my grandmother was taken to was dirty, with an open used sharps box, you could see the used needles and bottles with blood in them in it, a pile of used, dirty blankets and a bin that was full. The lady who asked my grandmother some questions was really lovely and took her time with her and the doctor who eventually came was pleasant but the other staff seemed very disinterested. Such a shame! Oh and at 10pm, which was nine and a half hours after being admitted they finally found a ward for her to go to!