"What a complete circus"

I was sent here by my GP as an emergency for a suspected strangulated hernia. After 24 hours I demanded they take my cannula out so I could leave. I was waiting on a scan, when I eventually had it, I was told I have a small hernia, I then spent the entire day waiting to find out what was going to happen. My mother got so frustrated that she called to try and find out what was going on. It took ages for them to find me on the system as the had my name back to front, she was then told I’d likely be operated on tomorrow. Being slightly autistic, a hospital is an extremely challenging environment so when at 7pm I still hadn’t heard anything from the doctors I demanded to know what was happening as was starting to have a meltdown, I was then told they where coming to see me now. An hour later there was still no information so I asked to have the cannula out so I could leave which then prompted a surgeon to come and talk to me. I was then told that they couldn’t go forwards with treatment as they had lost the scan. I made an appointment to come back the next day.

On arrival I saw the surgeon I saw the previous evening (the 3rd surgeon in 24 hours) spoke briefly to him to apologise if I was at all rude to him last night. He was fine and told me to take a seat and would see me shortly. 45 minutes after I was supposed to be seen he then came out to ask my name after the cock up with getting my name wrong. 15 minutes later I am seen by yet another surgeon, I impress on them my circumstances so they said they’d put me on the emergency list and walked off. After 5 or 10 minutes I go to the nurse to find out what happens now, she said “you can leave, did nobody tell you?” I was half way to my car only to realise that I hadn’t been given any information as to how or when I’d be contacted so had to return to ask more questions.

Within 2 weeks I get the letter which I assumed was the date of my pre op’, 3 weeks after my last appointment. At that appointment I’m told they are sending me for a CT scan.

So, I spent 24 hours in hospital for them to have no idea what is going on, had to come back the next day for an appointment to arrange an appointment to arrange a scan. So far almost a month of my life wasted, unable to work, unable to pay my mortgage and no idea when this is going to get sorted. I am having to go private for a scan at a cost of £450/600 to hurry up and circumvent the farce that is st Helier hospital