Advised to attend A & E by my GP. Arrived under own steam just after 2pm. Waiting room full. Dealt with fairly promptly by reception although i had stood in wrong place initially as I was feeling ill and a bit confused and signage not that clear. Have not been here for 6 years & that was with another person by ambulance.Notice board said 2 hour wait. but I only had to wait just over an hour to have 1st obs. Staff pleasant. Not long after saw pleasant Dr who did checks etc. Was moved to a cubicle and then given pain relief & other meds by pleasant nurse. Taken to & brought back from Radiology. Still a decent experience, Left for ages by myself. Decided to dress myself. Here was my 1st mistake. As I sat slumped in the chair at the side of the bed, exhausted following my re dressing, the 1st person-I'd seen for ages looked around the curtain & said that because I was out of bed I could sit in minor ops. Oh My Goodness. When I found this cattle market area,m there was virtually nowhere to sit. The seat I did find was the most uncomfortable seat I have ever sat on. A granite soft plank of wood. What masochist decided that the wooden seats are decent enough for ill people to sit on for nearly 10 hours. The person in charge of any department that has these vile contraptions please try it. A person arrives - ill, confused, scared & ends up there. It is quite frankly a torturous scenario. I was by myself so if I had tried to get myself a drink or go to the loo, I would have lost my seat. I was left here in pain and discomfort, mainly from the chairs from approx 4.30pm to midnight & not 1 person spoke to me to tell me what was happening.Under normal circumstances I am quite vocal & used to speaking up for myself but this day because I was feeling so unwell I just sat there like a numpty for all this time. I finally dragged myself to the office to ask if I could go home.By this time I had been languishing at G E for 10 hours & mostly on those rock hard planks they laughingly call seats. I'd had a cup of cold coffee & a water in all this time.I was finally seen & left this Victorian doss house area (Google Victorian doss houses) some time after. I was so befuddled, tired, scared, upset by the time I saw a surgeon I have no idea what is actually the problem. I get the gist but I didn't receive a comprehensive explanation. Totally understand the pressure that staff are under. Have total respect for things they are trying to achieve but I feel it is unacceptable to leave a person without any communication for 8 hours plus. Your waiting area needs to be brought up to a human standard. What you are providing now is disgusting. Please take up my challenge and sit on 1 of those wood planks for a couple of hours and see how you feel and this is what you are expecting sick people to sit on. Not good enough. I have been left traumatised by my experience. I am scared for my life at the thought of returning. Filled with dread.
"A & E nightmare experience"
About: George Eliot Hospital - Acute Services / Accident and emergency George Eliot Hospital - Acute Services Accident and emergency Nuneaton CV10 7DJ
Posted via nhs.uk
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