"Five stars but disappointing outcome"

I attended A&E by ambulance at about 6pm on 3rd January 2019 and the effect of the winter pressures was there to be seen. The department was very busy.

I had attended with left sided chest pains which I had suspected to be epigastric but they were of such intensity that I was persuaded by the paramedic to attend to rule out any coronary cause having had two stents fitted a few years back.

Even in difficult circumstances the staff at A&E were marvellous. Regrettably, however, I was still there at 9am the following day. I was offered the chance to wait in ACU whilst a blood test result was awaited and in order that I could then be given some pain relief, the symptoms having not really subsided.

I was in ACU for just under 4 hours waiting the blood test result and was eventually told it was clear which was good news. I was also given a prescription, which I took to the pharmacy, for some Tramadol. I was told there was a half hour wait and so I went for a coffee and returned at about 1.30 to be told that the prescription I had been given had not been completed properly, that pharmacy could not contact the doctor to have it amended and that I might want to go back to ACU to ask them to write it out again. Words failed me at that point. I had been in the hospital for 19 hours without sleep; had agreed to wait in ACU in part because I recognised it reduced the congestion and wait time for others in A&E but the one thing that I really needed - some pain relief - I have left without.

I will still rate Good Hope with five stars but the link between pharmacy, the patient and the delivery of the only intended positive outcome from the 19 hours spent at the hospital was extremely poor. I left without the prescribed medication and feeling quite let down.

The pain I suffered the previous evening was quite severe and felt as if I was having a heart attack. Nothing I had been prescribed previously could take the edge of the pain, a point I made to everyone I came into contact with. Obviously, I hope I don’t have a recurrence over the weekend because it will simply put me back in A&E when such an outcome should have been avoidable. The question is, how can there be a disconnect between a consultant writing a prescription for Tramadol on a Good Hope prescription form and the pharmacy not recognising what was written in very clear English and why does it end up being the patient’s misfortune?