"Paediatric A&E Waiting Times Shocking"

I took my son to the A&E at the Countess last night.

Took a ticket like you get at the meat counter at Asda and waited for an hour and a half.

One triage nurse, who took his name his injury, date of birth - we were then sent out to wait for the reception - who sat next to the triage nurse's curtained room, to call his name - we waited another half hour, listening intently, wondering if we'd missed it.

The reception confirmed next of kin and Dr's surgery which I'd given to the triage nurse and then told us to go to the Kidszone.

We couldn't get the wheelchair in as the toys were against the wall near the door and there were children and parents sprawled over the floor.

Neither were there enough seats (bottleneck) I stood for over 3 hours outside in the corridor.

Parents were bringing their children out because they were too hot to stay in the room.

Chairs were requested, nurse or consultant provided them randomly.

Feet and children controlled as every now and then porters would be bringing ill patients through to x-ray on beds or wheelchairs.

One family had been in the hot room from 6 pm and when we finally went to x-ray at 10-20 which was empty, the family were still waiting. They had been waiting before we arrived. The dad had requested how long they would be staying as his little one had school, he was told not long - no attempt to find out his name and follow up.

There were 4 treatment rooms and only one being used at any one time.

A couple of police liaison arrived to talk to a boy of 16 who had been jumped on, had blood all over his face and had a suspected fractured cheekbone - I knew he had been jumped on as they interviewed him in the corridor.

We eventually got to x-ray - who I must say were very professional.

We then went back to kids zone and waited for the result, we were told in the corridor that there was no fracture and that to elevate it and apply hot and cold.

I pushed my son out into the cold air and wheeled him all the way around the other side of the hospital to car park 1, as most of the parking down near A&E is either staff or disabled and there is very little short to long stay parking.

I paid my £3 and on exit had a voicemail to tell me to go back as the registrar had found a hairline fracture.

I took him back to the entrance of A&E dropped him off with crutches to be greeted by a security guard who told me I was in the ambulance bay.

I took the car back to the car park.

Walked down to A&E as he waited out in the cold, found him a wheelchair and wheeled him back to wait for someone to do his plastering.

A 14-year-old boy having to wait outside the A&E on crutches whilst his mum went to park the car at 11pm!

The process of your A&E is all wrong - you need to re-engineer your booking in process and review manpower planning.

Book in at reception - get sent to kids zone and be triaged there.

. There needs to be a separate paediatric A&E with x-ray and fracture facilities.

it was shocking!!