King George Hospital 2022-12-07 Person 0 5 0

Absolutely ridiculous! I was at the hospital for 12hours; 2:30PM-2:20AM. After seeing what needed to be done, could’ve been done within 6 hours. Waited in the emergency waiting room for 3 hours to get seen in Room A/B for a ‘doctor’ to refer me to a consultant to which I had to wait another 3/4 hours! The so called doctor in Room A/B himself didn’t even know how to help with my issue and had to call one of the consultants to help him. I don’t understand what the point is for Room A/B if the so called doctors can’t prescribe anything! It would reduce the waiting times massively. I then waited to be seen by a consultant for another 4 hours (bearing in mind I was in so much pain and no one offered me pain killers). When my name was finally called for the consulting rooms (number 3), the doctor was prodding and touching the painful area even after telling him it kills. He could hardly speak a word of English so very hard to understand. He was too busy looking in the mirror at one point and having a conversation with another doctor about their shifts! After literally 5 mins in the consulting room he said I needed x-rays (which didn’t make sense because nothing was fractured I just had a skin infection), and then to WAIT AGAIN until he receives them! At this point my ankle was swollen like a balloon, my mum and I asked for a wheelchair because I could hardly walk but no one helped, the doctor just said “oh the x-ray room isn’t a long walk you’ll be okay”!! After getting my x-rays done back in waiting room I was waiting for another 3 or more hours (pretty sure x-rays don’t take this long to be sent and checked over, patients like me at this point should’ve been prioritised after having waiting so bloody long). My ankle was getting worse. Finally got called back in for the same doctor in consulting room 3, he said I need to be on antibiotics (not rocket science as the Room A ‘doctor’ said the same which he should be qualified to do). He said if I take antibiotics orally they won’t be as effective and I most likely, and I quote, “can lose my limb”!!!! They should NOT be alarming patients like this. After staying in hospital over night a few years ago I cried as the experience was dreadful the nurses didn’t care about my problem back then and I was left shivering cold all night even after calling for a nurse several times during the night. THEN the doctor said I need to now have a blood test (this was now past 8pm) to see how bad the infection is so they can decide if I can be sent home with antibiotics OR stay overnight and take antibiotics through my veins. We then had to walk over to another part of the hospital to WAIT to be called for a blood test AND wait further 2/3 hours for the results!!! This is when I just wanted to cry and scream because when I got called for my blood test, the woman was lovely she said, and I quote, “oh you were waiting in the emergency part for all this time, didn’t they do your blood test, they could’ve done it”. This is when I wanted to scream the hospital down. So I was waiting for around 7/8 hours on the other side and in that mean time my blood test could’ve been done and results received too to reduce the waiting times by a good 5hours. COMMUNICATION is a big thing you need to work on it’s ridiculous. Blood test done, then waited 2/3 hours for results. Was taken through and have a nurse (she was lovely the most caring out of the 100 people I had to see), she checked my ankle thoroughly and said I should be okay to be sent home with antibiotics. (Remember when the consultant said I may LOSE MY LIMB if I take them orally? And this nurse saying it’ll be fine?!) She had another nurse come finally dress my infection which should’ve been done on the other side with the doctor/consultant. This nurse bandaged it and also gave me some PAINKILLERS finally!! They ALSO let me take some of the antibiotics I was being prescribed to take through my veins which again took 2 hours but I was getting more service on this side so I didn’t mind much. My poor mum and dad were with me the whole time and were shattered after coming from work AND staying until 2:30AM when we were finally discharged!!!! After taking the drip I could finally leave and take my prescription. In conclusion, the communication between the departments of when you’re referring patients is atrocious!! If you had communicated via your computer notes or whatever, I literally could’ve been done within 6hours HALF the time I had to wait around. No wonder the NHS is under pressure, I’ve realised it’s not because of the amount of patients. It’s yourselves with no communication and unnecessary waiting times!!!! Especially being told my blood test could’ve been done whilst I was initially waiting. That could’ve saved a good 3/4hours but honestly there is no care whatsoever at King George.

COMMUNICATION UNNECESSARY WAIT TIMES CARE/SERVICE