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Lack of care at Minor Injuries Unit, Victoria Hospital

Posted By Ainsl

"Lack of care at Minor Injuries Unit, Victoria Hospital"

About: New Victoria Hospital / Minor injuries unit

(as the patient),

I attended the minor injuries unit this morning after waking up with a sore shoulder. It was very painful when I came into work when typing and doing things so I thought I would pop along to the unit and see if they could assist as this wasn't an emergency therefore didn't want to waste A&E time.

The receptionist when I arrived said I couldn't be seen there because I couldn't advise how I had injured myself and that I was to contact my GP. I found this very strange went outside called my GP surgery to be told there was no appointments for today and that minor injuries should be able to see me as it's not an on-going problem it's something that has just happened overnight.

I went back in and advised the receptionist of this. She said I'll take your details don't know what the nurse will say. I waited over an hour to then be taken in by the nurse and told I shouldn't be here and why a GP surgery would tell me to just come here she can't understand. She took my GP surgery details and said she would call them. She then said I shouldn't waste their time. I was shocked by the nurses attitude towards me. She wasn't willing to listen to anything I had to say. I advised her I was teaching dance Saturday and Sunday woke up this morning with pain and reduced movement in my shoulder, she said if I wasn't doing anything unusual then she couldn't see me.

I left and called my GP surgery back explained what happened and the receptionist was shocked at the way I had been treated, saying that I am not a doctor and am not supposed to know why or how I suddenly have pain. There was still no appointments so I was slotted in for a telephone call from GP.

I work full time for Scottish Government and to say I am shocked and taken a back by the way I have been treated for something that I pay taxes for. To make matters worse a gentleman came in whilst I was waiting and said more or less the same as I did only it was his back and nothing at all was said to this gentleman at all. I wasted my works time going to the hospital to be treated so disgustingly. I am astonished.

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Responses

Response from Lorna Fairlie, Patient Experience, Public Involvement Project Manager, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 8 years ago
Lorna Fairlie
Patient Experience, Public Involvement Project Manager,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

I work in a small team in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde which seeks to involve patients and carers in the work of the NHS. The biggest part of my role is in managing feedback projects across the Board area, one of which is Patient Opinion. It is my job to give our patients and carers the opportunity to give us feedback, and to make sure that this is passed to the right people to help us improve the services we provide.

Submitted on 05/02/2016 at 12:49
Published on Care Opinion at 14:11

Dear Ainsl,

I am really sorry to read about the experience you had at the Minor Injuries Unit, and I'm disappointed as I know that this is not the norm at this Unit. I will pass your comments on to the Manager of this service, so that the team can reflect on the communication you describe and how to do this better in the future.

When we talk about our Minor Injuries Units, we do describe them as places where people can go for an injury which is caused by a specific event or accident, such as a trip or a fall - I.e. something that you can remember and describe. The pain you describe is slightly different, although not very cut and dry, so can understand completely the confusion as to why this wouldn't be the right place for you to be seen. While this is one aspect of your experience, the other is the way we communicate with patients, as I have touched on. We need to ensure that we are supporting patients to get the best possible care, but while treating them politely and with respect.

I hope that your telephone consultation with your GP got you sorted out, and thanks very much for highlighting this with us.

Best Wishes,

Lorna

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