"A&E department"

Anything else?

I had been bleeding heavily for almost two days after dental surgery. I telephoned 111 for advice and was told to go to the nearest hospital at once. I arrived at A&E around midnight last Saturday night and waited several hours to see a doctor. I was covered with blood and the toilet looked like a murder scene although I tried to clean up as much as I could. I had to beg a nurse for some swabs because my towel was satuated. I was weak and dizzy and nearing collapse. I couldn't lie down because the rows of seats have arm rests. I went to reception and said I was going home as I felt too ill to stay in hospital. I would rather die at home in my own bed. I did finally get to see a doctor who tried to stem the bleeding with swabs and then spent another couple of hours sitting in a hard back chair waiting for blood tests. At dawn a bed was found where I could rest while waiting for the results. I finally got home around mid day still bleeding and extremely weak and giddy.

I am not blaming the staff. They did what they could under great pressure of work. There are not nearly enough doctors on duty. In fact they were very pleasant and a great change from an experience I had about 6 years ago when I was told I was wasting time and there was nothing wrong with me. A few days later I ended up arriving back by ambulance and being admitted to an isolation ward for 5 days with a serious chest infection.

My experiences in A&E have been horrible and best avoided.