"Don't go to the hospital on a Sunday night over a..."

Anything else?

We arrived at around 3am and were sent to Children's A&E with my child (high temperature and v.shallow breathing on top of complex medical needs) with one patient ahead of us. After a more than 90 minute wait we were told that there was a further 2 hours to wait by the only staff member in an empty children's A&E. By this time my child was exhausted, as were we, and the temperature was down so we went home with a suggestion to make an appointment with EMDOC. When we left we were the only people in both the children's and main A&E. 12 Hours later we were back - this time by ambulance as the situation had worsened. I don't see the point of having a 24 hour service that is so inadequately staffed. If we had been seen properly the first time (without the prospect of a 4.5 hour wait) we may not have needed the emergency services as we did for the second visit. The second visit resulted in proper attention and the hospital, in the afternoon, was visibly better staffed.