"Frustrating, unsatisfactory, awkward,..."

What I liked

Not very much. Felt sorry for staff to be put in the position they were in ie short staffed but this is not the fault of the patient.

What could be improved

Attitude of certain staff, stricter action against unruly mother of a child patient.

Anything else?

Arrrived with nephew early evening, as he had dislocated fingers. He is aged 8. Kept waiting for at least an hour before anyone even to him. Told then minimum of 3 hour wait. Asked for painkillers for him as he was very upset and uncomfortable. Staff forgot. When prompted almost an hour later, staff member very defensive saying she is just agency nurse and they doing what they can. Another nurse asked for all patients attention saying staff shortages all day meant long queues (was standing room only literally). She advised we can either wait min 3 hours or drive to Kent & Canterbury hospital who may have shorter waiting time. One lady, whose daughter has been there 2 hours already, started shouting and swearing. She kept this up for pretty much the next hour moaning and swearing loudly. My 8 year old nephew got quite an education in foul language. No-one asked her to refrain and I think they should have. Have some sympathy with the staff who were short handed but to be honest they were so defensive that even being approached by us politely was met with sighs, huffs and attitude. A man was throwing up outside so getting out the front entrance was impossible. Awful awful experience. It is now almost 11.30pm. We got to A&E at 7.30pm and, though I have returned home now his Dad is there with him, nephew is still waiting to be treated. Disclocation treatment will be worse for him due to time waited as we know. He was x-rayed incidentially in an empty x-ray dept hours ago. He is just a little boy. He is tired, distressed and very upset. For lots of reasons the whole experience was just horrible. Very very poor.