"Care for my stiff neck in Nottingham could have been better"

Whilst in Spain on holiday I developed severe neck pain, and decided to return home. On returning home at 9pm in the evening I rang the out of hours GP support to get advice on the problem as I was in a lot of pain.

The lady was very helpful and a doctor rang me back within 15 minutes - great! An appoinment was made for 11.30pm that evening at EMIS on Derby Road. I arrived at 11.20pm and waited and waited hardly able to sit up. At about 12.35am I was eventually seen and in due course admitted to Ward B3 at the QMC.

On arrival I went into the assessment ward and waited for a bed. At 5.30am I was taken to a bed on B3. I was told that a doctor would see me on his rounds at about 10am.

The doctors came on the ward but didn't see me! At about 12.30 a doctor came over and asked me lots of questions. She suggested X-rays and left. A few minutes later she returned with a senior doctor, who more or less asked me why I was there with a stiff neck and why it had not been dealt with by my GP. I explained that due to the time of my flight I was only following precedure and was admitted by the Emergency Doctor as he didn't know what the problem was.

I felt rather embarrased by the whole thing, even though it was not my intention to end up in hospital. It seemed to be somewhat of a joke on the ward and at no time was I asked if I needed any painkillers even though I could hardly move my neck. I was eventually issued with painkillers and sent home.