Doncaster Royal Infirmary 2024-05-15 Person 0 5 0

Was given an arrival time of 7:30 by 111. We didn’t leave A&E until 2:30am the next morning. This was absolutely unacceptable. The experience my daughter and I went through was not one I would expect in Britain in 2024. My daughter had suspected glass in her eye. No one looked in it until 6.5 hours into our wait. We had to wait in a packed A&E waiting room for 2 hours after being told the children’s waiting area was full. I gave up my space in the check in queue to a pensioner who was whimpering in pain. We then went into a boiling hot children’s waiting area that had absolutely no ventilation or indeed enough seats for everyone to sit down. I felt my daughter was more at risk of catching something in there due to lack of ventilation and close proximity to others. One child had burns all over her hands and feet and was screaming in pain for hours on end. No one in the waiting room was seen by any doctor for a good 2/3 hours so the room kept on filling up without anyone leaving or making space. There was no opportunity for anyone to be able to have any food or drink in the 7 hours I was there. I darent leave my daughter or indeed the room in case I lost my place in the queue. I was in a lot of pain from sitting for so long, my daughter had to sleep on my shoulder and the eventually slumped across 2 chairs. I feel that there needs to be an intermediary between GP and A&E that people can go to to seek treatment. My daughter wasn’t in pain I just needed someone to look at the glass in her eye. I would have paid to seek private treatment rather than wait for 7 hours. Maybe more people would do that too, which could free up an overstretched service. I felt the conditions we had to wait in was unsatisfactory. Air conditioning, access to food and water and a more time effective service should have been available. It was horrible. I had to miss a day of work and my daughter had to miss a day of school as we had had no sleep at all.

A service that people can have access to that takes the pressure off A&E - people need an intermediary between A&E and GP. My daughter had potential glass in her eye but I felt it wasn’t a medical emergency. I was told to go to DRI by 111 though. I did try Mexbrough minor injuries but was told they didn’t have the machine to look in her eye. Well ventilated and temperature appropriate waiting areas with access to food and drink for parents of poorly children should be available. It was inhumane to be made to wait for 7 hours on a chair with children around you screaming in pain and boiling hot. Absolutely shocking and appalling experience. But unfortunately; one parents have to put their children through because they have no other option. The doctor we finally got to see was lovely and very apologetic but it isn’t his fault. Things need to change.