"Hospital Feedback"

Anything else?

I phoned 111 on two seperate occassions, as I had developed slight chest pain, and feeling "out of breath". On both occassions I was strongly advised to get to casualty as quickly as possible - with the suggestion I didn't atteistmpt to drive there. I did drive there, but sadly a week or so before this I had damaged a toe on my right foot, but certainly that was not an issue. I arrived on a week-end at BVH casualty. My first big mistake was saying "I know I have hurt my toe, but that's not the reason I'm here, I'm find it rather difficult to breath, and I know I have high blood pressure plus diabetes, but I've been having short bouts of chest pain. The nurse took my blood pressure 189/90, - very high, I again re-enforced my problem was not anything to do with my foot, but breathlessness, chest pain and now the raised blood pressure. She also checked the blood sugar which was also quite high. Another nurse came in (sister this time) again I re-enforced the issue of chest pain and breathlessness. She stated she would call the nurse back to carry out a fuller evaluation. Well that never happened. I was moved through cas, and sat down in a massive "fish bowl" waiting area for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Still having chest pain, and feeling rather ill. Finally my name is called I am sat down in a room with no equipment i.e. blood pressure, and I knew instantly I was not going to be assessed for the chest pain etc. A very nice doctor - Consulant actually - came up to me, he knelt down, look at my right foot, - moved my toes about, then said, "your doing everything right and we wouldn't treat a fractured toe here, so you can go home". I actually did thank him. I drove home, phoned 111 explained to them what had happened, they put my call straight through to Casualty and I spoke to the doctor who played "one little piggy went to market" with my toes. I asked him if he had looked at the blood pressure the nurse had previously done, with that I heard him moving, next minute the words "oh God you have to come back your at a very high risk of having a serious cardiac event - please come back". My answer he should have check on the documents, not just listen to Chinese whispers of a possible "waste of time patient". He apologised. I submitted a Formal Complaint a meeting was arranged the excuse - the staff nurse who first examined me and did my blood pressure had had some problems at home and was not concentrating - she should not have gone into work. She was not concentrating, plus the sister also knew the problem she did not pass the message onto the doctor, plus the doctor never looked at the blood pressure or the blood sugar, or gave me the chance of telling him about the chest pain and breathlessness. They call themselves Lancashire Cardiac Care Centre - I don't believe they should hold that sign. I am a cardiac specialist nurse, it now frightens me immensly on the very, very poor standard of care.