"Accident and Emergency"

After being referred to A & E by the GP with a covering letter relating to suspected appendicitis. I had to wait over over 6 hours before I was seen by Dr number 3.

Blood checks and urine tests came back negative so was sent home with two painkillers and a scan for the next day which had apparently been booked for 8:00 am.

Arrived for the appt promptly at 8:00. Was not seen until 9:00 and was told the scan was not booked and therefore I would have to wait until 11:30 (which the Dr requested as he didn’t want to send me home again). Unltrasound came back fine so was sent home again with prescription pain killers. No further checks were done although at this point the pain was crippling.

Revisited a and e the following morning with excruciating pain. When I arrived I was one of three people in the waiting area. However

I spent nearly 12 hours at a and e that day. . I was seen by a total of 6 (on one occasion 2 Drs together), asking me the same questions, at point one dr was writing down notes on a scrap price of paper saying her computer wasn’t working. I felt the Drs were guessing what could be wrong and didn’t want to commit until a surgeon came down which was after 10 hours of waiting. He sent me for a CT scan by which time the pain was crippling. Again I was told to sit in the waiting area. It was only after I told one of the nurses that I needed something for the pain that ( after 45 min) I was given a drip. I was then admitted and told that I had an abscess. I had now been diagnosed with suspected appendicitis and an abscess/cyst. I was given antibiotics and then booked for another scan the following morning. It was here that I actually got to speak to someone that knew what they were doing. She explained there wasn’t an abscess, but other issues and would be compiling a report to reflect. When discharged I was told I would need an op. I asked how I would manage the pain and I was told ‘hopefully the pain killers would help’ I was sent home with a ‘hopefully’ and still not understanding what was wrong with me.

Although my experience with a and e was atrocious, I would like to say on the day of my surgery. I had the most nicest team looking after me. They knew what they were taking about and made me understand the procedure. After the operation I was provided with reasons for the pain. And a follow up plan.

Waiting time is unacceptable. I understand my condition was not life threatening and you probably have a lot of people come in that think their condition takes precedence. However I don’t think people should be sent home based on a pain rating and just on bloods. Also it’s fine to have multiple tests to ascertain the problem. But wait until you know before giving the patient 3 different diagnosis and medication based on this.