Queen's Hospital 2021-09-13 Person 1 5 0

I arrived at the urgent care unit at midnight with severe arm pain, the inability to move my shoulder and loss of feeling in my hand ( which later transpired to be because my vaccine had been injected directly into my shoulder joint causing an inflammatory response which froze the shoulder). The first nurse who checked my vitals barely grunted at me - the only word he said was MOUTH to take my temperature. I was then told to sit and wait in a chair with no explanation which I did for 30 minutes before a second nurse could check me in - she was politer but again barely communicated with me before telling me to check in to the urgent care unit. I did so by yet another rude member of staff before being told to wait on another chair with no further information. I waited in urgent care in significant pain for 3 hours with no information whilst other patients were seen to before I then asked how long it would be. They said the doctor would see me anytime now yet no one came. Eventually a nurse beckoned me over and made me follow her before telling me I needed to go to a and e as there were more doctors there and I’d be seen quicker - I asked whether they’d be aware I’d been there 3 hours or whether I would go to the back of the queue and she said “it will be fine” before walking off. I went to a and e and couldn’t check in for 20 minutes as no one was on reception, I had to give all my details again and managed to see a triage nurse. She was the most patronizing unhelpful women I’ve had the misfortune of talking to and told me that vaccines cause arm ache and it’s a normal response - considering i literally couldn’t move my arm without screaming this didn’t go down particularly well but when she actually bothered to look at my arm she realized the vaccine had been put in my shoulder and there was an issue she took my details. She then told me there was a further 7 hour wait to see a doctor at which point I left the hospital. It is an absolutely disgraceful level of service and it’s a good job I didn’t have a more serious condition as I wouldn’t rate my chances. Luckily I had an emergency doctors visit the next day who supplied an appropriate diagnosis and medication. I’m appalled at the state of the nhs and it was an eye opening experience about the affects of austerity on this country.

Communication with patients about wait times and their condition, general politeness and decency, empathy, more staff, communication between units.