At about 2100 I received a call from my mother who was in a panic. She was experiencing flashing in her eyes and blurry vision. She had phoned NHS 24 who advised this was a medical emergency, she must get to hospital immediately. She should phone a taxi and make sure that whatever happened, the driver must get her to A&E. As my father was away with work, my mother was in a panic. I told her I would get her at the hospital, which I did.
I entered very worried and found my mother sat in the waiting room at Paisley Royal Alexandria. Seemingly a 'medical emergency' doesn't mean anything and she was put at the back of the queue. Time now 2230.
After about 2 hours, she was moved to another waiting area. At 0200, I left and my sister stayed with my mother.
The outcome was that at 0400, she was seen and told that there was nothing to be done, come back in the morning.
Five and a half hours to be told nohthing is fairly appalling - why do NHS 24 regard a suspeted detached retina as a medical emergency, but the hospital had it as a very low priority? When you are faced with the propsect of losing the sight in your eye, you expect everything to be done to stop this happening.
As it happens, the symptoms have gone away, but if anything happens again, the doctor told her to get to a hospital immediately as it is very serious.
We'll not go back to the Royal Alexandria - blindness is too big a risk to take.
"Waste of time at A&E"
About: NHS 24 NHS 24 Royal Alexandra Hospital / Accident & Emergency Royal Alexandra Hospital Accident & Emergency PA2 9PN Royal Alexandra Hospital / Ophthalmology Royal Alexandra Hospital Ophthalmology PA2 9PN
Posted by whitenite (as ),
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