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A and E is the wrost A and E service I have...

Story from nhs.uk

"A and E is the wrost A and E service I have..."

About: Darent Valley Hospital

i am writing this review while i have been waiting for a doctor to attend my 2 years old child. He hit his head on a wooden chair and he was bleeding quite heavy and I decided to come to a and e. I should have gone to woolwich, but this is close to us and I was thinking that we will receive a prompt service. I came here at 2.00 am and writing this review now at 5.30 am, still not been able to see a doctor is beyond poor service. Staffs at a and e is very unfriendly and just said that a and e is busy you may have to wait another couple of hours. My child is sleeping on a row of chairs in waiting room where heating is not working and I had to cover him with my coats. Please look into this and make arrangements to treat patients with some care. My wife delivered our second baby here, I should say that service was good, maybe that's why I bothered to come here. I will never recommend a and e of darren valley to anyone. Waiting over four hours to see a doctor in an a and e is simply beyond words ...

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Responses

Response from Darent Valley Hospital 8 years ago
Darent Valley Hospital

Submitted on 16/09/2015 at 12:21
Published on nhs.uk on 17/09/2015 at 02:32

We apologise for the 3.5 hours wait you had in the A&E Department.

We know that a minor cut to the head can bleed quite heavily even if it is only a few millimeters long, as in this case. This can be very alarming to parents and may appear to be far more serious than it actually is. Our records show that you were seen by a triage nurse within 5 minutes of your arrival and that your son’s injury was assessed as a category 4 (low). His observations at that time were normal indicating no further trauma. The triage nurse did tell you that the department was particularly busy and that there could be a long wait.

You also mentioned that the department was cold. There is currently building work underway close to the Paediatics department and although the heating is working normally there may be a draught caused by the open building works as the A&E department is expanded. We are sorry that your felt let down by the service and decided to leave before your child was seen again, this time by a doctor.

The Communications Team Darent Valley Hospital

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