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Watford General Hospital 2022-04-11 Person 1 5 0

I went to A&E with whiplash. I unfortunately had one of the worst hospital experiences I have ever had. I waited for 10 hours in total before I was given a quick examination to determine I had whiplash. The staff were doing their best but this is just unacceptable. There was also construction taking place. Intense drilling and hammering for a total of 5 hours of my visit - resulting in a ridiculous headache. There were patients wailing in pain and I was crying silently into my mask as I approached 7 hours. Little updates through out except the wait time was just increasing, of which at each update I had already sat through more than 3/4 of the expected time. When I was seen by the doctor, he did a good examination but it was no more than 5 minutes before I was sent on my way, as x-rays would have taken another few hours and it wasn't worth it. It just feels ridiculous to keep anyone with any pain sitting in those chairs (worsening the pain) for such an extreme amount of time. I understand A&E is busy at every hospital, but 10 hours of wait to be discharged in 5 minutes just doesn't seem efficient. 111 referred me to the hospital as my pain was intense but this was one of the least helpful places I had been. The few staff there were tired and irritated, which I don't blame them for but there needs to be some better level of communication or electronic boards or something. There was just a million things wrong with this visit and it has put me off visiting Watford General again. The wait and exhaustion and irritation displayed from the staff was bad enough, but the construction was really the worst part and the cherry on the cake. It was painful in so many ways I have not been to the doctor or hospital in 3 years, I do not complain for every ailment but i wont be visiting Watford General again. I have absolutely no trust in this hospital for any emergencies again.