"Visit to A&E and unsatisfactory follow up"

After calling NHS Direct i was advised to attend the A&E dept asap.

I was suffering an eye emergency that had all the appearances of a Detached Retina.

Upon attendance I was informed there was a potential 3 hour wait.

I was treated with great indifference at reception and by the triage nurse. I arrived at the A&E at 21:30.

I did ask whether I would be better off going to the 24 hour A&E Eye Hospital, Brighton, as I would need to see an eye specialist.

I was told that wouldn't be necessary, it was implied that whoever I saw would have the necessary knowledge and expertise.

As my waiting time reached 3 hours the electronic board was changed to 4 hours waiting time, that was repeated after the 4 hour wait, the board was changed to 5 hours waiting time.

There were few people in the waiting area during my 5 hours there, and there were long periods where no one was called through to see a doctor.

At no time did any staff come into the waiting area to explain or apologise for the long delays in some very distressed people getting treatment.

After 5 hours I was seen by a doctor. The designated area for eye examination was woefully short in equipment, facilities and location.

Lights were too bright to allow the doctor to examine thoroughly.

The doctor was honest enough to say, that they were an A&E doctor and not an eye specialist.

A call was made, I presume to someone in the eye department, and I was told to go home and await an early morning call from the eye department to summon me to see a doctor asap.

I did as instructed.

I had less than 2 hours sleep before getting ready for the cal.

After 09:00 i began trying to contact the Eye Dept at Eastbourne, where I presumed I would have to attend.

After an hour of constantly calling and getting no reply I decided to visit an optician locally, maybe they'd be more help with a diagnosis.

I visited two separate opticians where I was advised by both to attend an A&E again immediately.

I then called NHS Direct again, and explained my situation.

They advised I attend the Eye Hospital, Brighton asap.

All this while my eye symptoms were extremely distressing and worsening.

My son drove me to Brighton.

En route I received a call from the eye department, I was told that an appointment had been arranged for noon that day, at the conquest.

It was about 11:30 hours when I received this call.

I explained my case to the secretary, she then informed the Consultant who asked to speak to me.

I explained what had occurred in the last 15 hours, and told him that I was on my way to Brighton as we spoke.

He told me that his department had only just received the information that I had attended A&E, he was apologetic, and he advised that I continue on to Brighton.

So my early morning call from the eye dept was never going to happen because of failings in the A&E dept at the Conquest.

My experience at the Eye Hospital in Brighton was 5 Star.

I will never attend the Conquest again.