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"A&E"

About: Medway Maritime Hospital

Got taken into A&E after fitting and fainting whilst out with my mother. I got taken by ambulance on sirens and lights and had to wait a bit for a cubicle so as I could be seen by a doctor. I had a few more fits in the hospital all witnessed by doctors. By the time I saw the doctor hours later they said "well you seem to have recovered we will send you home" when my mother explained that I have been having these episodes repeatedly every day for a month or so now and no one knew why we got told if I have another one to bring me straight back. So we went home and within a hour I was on my living room floor fitting and fainting again so my mum again called an ambulance (luckily we had a family friend over who was highly first aid trained) but when I came round from this episode that lasted atleast 40 minutes I couldn't feel my left side at all from face to toes, my mum told the paramedics this and they yet again got me straight to A&E; We arrived at A&E majors at about half 8 that night we waited for 2 hours on the ambulance trolley for 2 hours (thus holding up the ambulance crew unnecessarily) when they could put me in the cubicle behind me that was free. The paramedics on both occasions were brilliant second to none. I then aventually got admitted to AMU (Acute medical unit) in the early hours on the morning at about 6 I think. The next day the doctor comes to see me and wants to discharge me after doing no tests nothing. I say to him If I go home I will fit and faint again please don't just fob me off so I ring my parents outraged who ring the ward and demand to speak to the doctor who promised my parents faithfully that I would not get discharged until I had seen the neurologist. This happened and he was amazing! got me seen at Kings hospital to see a neurologist specialist in my problem there and with the help of the cardiac team at st Thomas's in London and medway and the neurologist at Medway and Kings they finally 2 months later think they know what the problem is!

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Responses

Response from Medway Maritime Hospital 10 years ago
Medway Maritime Hospital
Submitted on 22/01/2014 at 16:37
Published on nhs.uk on 23/01/2014 at 03:00


I am sorry to hear you were unhappy about your swift discharged after your visit to the Emergency Department. Clinicians judge whether a patient is fit for discharge and where a condition is recurrent but unpredictable, the decision is based on a number of factors, specific to the condition or to the individual, and based on a risk-benefit analysis. Some of these decisions may surprise patients, for example, very few patients require admission after having seizures. I am pleased you returned to the Emergency Department under the instructions of the clinician and am very happy to hear that you were happy with the care from the neurologist. I am also glad you are a step closer to finding out what is causing you to have these episodes. Without obtaining further information from you it is difficult to go into much more detail about your concerns, however if you would like to contact me on the number below I can look into this in more detail for you. As for the time you had to wait in the emergency department before admission - the hospital has been incredibly busy over the winter period which puts extreme pressure on our staff and resources. I can assure you however, that the emergency department is set to undergo a major redevelopment in the coming months, which is set to improve patient experience in the emergency department as a whole. Andrew Stradling Consultant – Emergency Department 01634 830000 x3911

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