"Disappointed"

What I liked

This was my first personal experience of A&E and I felt very disappointed.

What could be improved

I was in A&E for 6 hours before I was admitted to ward.

4 of these hours were spent in the waiting area.

I had been referred by my GP with an abnormal ECG result and had also been fasting for a blood test at the GP's.

I didn't have the correct change for the drinks machine and was reluctant to leave A&E as i was in there alone and didn't want to miss my turn. So i asked at reception for a glass of water( had nothing for the last 12 hours) and was told to ask the triage nurse for a glass so I could fill it up in the mens toilets! I declined.

Once taken into a cubicle i requested painkillers 3 times and was told each time by a nurse she would get some but never did. I presume my headache was due to dehydration.

When I was eventually admitted to the ward I was discharged within 30 minutes but the discharge process took 2 and a half hours on top of an already long day.

Anything else?

I felt there was a lack of communication throughout the day and it was only when my wife came in who is a nurse that we started to get answers.

Patients in A&E are anxious and surely they should be informed of what is going on on a regular basis. I do appreciate staff are busy but surely ever patient has a named nurse that is able to keep them upto date.