"Why treat someone this way"

My father was referred to East Grinstead from Medway hospital.He had a serious wound to his hand.He waited 3 hours at the first hospital to be assessed.They referred him to EG and told him to get some overnight stuff as he would be staying in and having an emergency op.He was told to be nil by mouth.When he arrived at EG he had to wait 7 hours in the minor injury waiting room before being given a bed.He was nil by mouth all this time and in a lot of pain as the injury was starting to throb severely.There was no need to treat a 76 year old man this way especially as he had already been referred by another hospital and photos of the injury sent to EG.Furthermore he was sent some sixty miles away to EG when St Thomas London was 30 miles closer with the same type unit.This is completely wrong!