"Kindness does not cost anything"

After trying to manage a bad cold which had exasperated my asthma at home for 4 days (using my agreed asthma plan)  I realised I needed the next step of care which was oral steroids.

I contacted NHS 24 and was on hold for an hour. When my call was answered I was triaged, the nurse was lovely and commended me on my self management up to this point and agreed I needed to be seen and would be contacted by my local health board. I waited almost 2 hours for a call and knowing that my symptoms would reduce dramatically with prednisolone, I went to my local MIIU to see if they could help.  I completely appreciate that the NHS is overwhelmed and I didn’t want to add to this by becoming an acute patient so explained over the intercom at MIIU that I had called NHS24 and was waiting on a call but didn’t have an appt. I was correctly told that it was appts only and explained that I was having trouble breathing and knew steroids would help.

I was told to take a seat in the waiting room and someone would try and help me. I was met by a staff member who asked me what was wrong and I explained everything I had done and knew I didn’t have an appt but due to the time I had waited and knew my symptoms and what I needed and the importance of time that’s why I was there. I advised that I  had tried to follow the right procedures but that I needed help. I was informed by the staff nurse that it was appt only and my case was still sitting on screen in Dundee and that I would be seen sometime today and that taking time to come out to reception to speak to me was taking time away from patients with an appt.

At this point I got really upset as I had tried my hardest not to become another pressure on the NHS, I had done everything I could to self-manage my care, felt very unwell, and knew it was time for medical intervention. Due to me being extremely emotional at the response and manner of the staff member, I got up and walked out as the thought of being told I was taking care away from other people when I had tried my best to not be in this position, it was too much for me.

I returned emotional to my husband in the car park who was understandably upset at the way I had been treated knowing how I had tried to manage at home and how unwell I was, I asked him to take me home and I would try to manage my symptoms until the following day and call my GP, despite knowing by that time I would be a lot worse and it would be likely to have turned into a chest infection and they have told me to call NHS when this happens! The staff member I had spoken to and another staff member came out to the car park and stopped us leaving.

They then said I would be seen as I was clearly breathless and needed help when I said that I didn’t want to come back in as being told I was taking care away from other patients was not what I intended and had made me very upset as someone who works in healthcare and knows how stretched they are, and I just needed someone to help me without making me feel horrible!  I returned and was seen by someone who at first was a little frosty, probably due to thinking I was going to be a problem patient from what the other staff had said and also from my husband being annoyed at seeing me so upset.

They then explained the situation to me and I explained everything I had done in relation to my self care and asthma plan and that the last thing I wanted was to take up anymore time than was necessary, and that I was not a nurse/doctor but knew what I needed after many years of managing my asthma when I get a cold. They were then really nice and apologised and assessed me, as I had thought, prednisolone was needed and given to me there and then acknowledging that the quicker that was in my system the better I would feel (the whole reason I had pitched up at the MIIU).  

I’m not usually one to put into words my experience but I really felt this story is needed. I was a patient who appreciated that the NHS is stretched, knew what I needed for my care and due to it being the weekend and the timeous nature of it, I shouldn’t wait till my GP was open the following day. I had been commended for my self-management from NHS24 but yet I was then made to feel like I was abusing the system and taking the time of valuable nursing staff from patients who needed it more than me.

What I would like from this story, better timely communication from NHS Tayside after being triaged by NHS24 which would not have resulted in me going to Forfar MIIU. Understanding that not all patients are time wasters, have tried to follow procedures and not abusing the system.  Appreciation and appropriate timeous action for those who have self-managed their care for years who will not take a lot of time to be seen and can be on our way to leave time for other patients and lastly you never know what people are going through, and what other events in their lives might be adding to their emotional state.

Kindness does not cost anything and ultimately results in less emotional patients and better experiences for all.