My husband took a severe episode of epigastric pain in January this year, which resulted in admission to Altnagelvin through the emergency department. This reoccurred again in the first week of May, resulting in another attendance at ED for assessment and relief of pain and symptoms. I accompanied him the second time due to how weak he was, having several episodes of vomiting per hour by the time we arrived; our experience this time was not very positive.
The waiting area of ED was crowded, unclean and full, with nowhere to sit for long periods of time. My husband was triaged quickly and given oral pain relief, which was vomited up shortly after he was returned to the waiting room. We asked the receptionist to ask the staff to see us again but this didn’t happen for several hours. The next time he received pain relief and an antiemetic, it was administered intravenously, and my husband was allowed to lie down in a position of comfort, which he had not been in for some time that day.
Throughout the waiting room there appeared to be large groups of family members waiting on a relative who was in the clinical area - this I have no issue with, but the amount of them exacerbated the lack of seats on that occasion, and their behaviour was loud and disruptive, which wasn’t conducive to an environment where sick people are waiting. The trust should enforce a visitor limit or invest in larger waiting room facilities.
There were people attending Altnagelvin from the farthest reaches of County Fermanagh on the same date. It is such a pity that the trust sought to unilaterally withdraw emergency general surgery from the South West Acute Hospital, which would have been our closest hospital. The obvious increase in attendances at Altnagelvin seem to be putting a great strain on its facilities.
In terms of treatment, once his pain and nausea/vomiting were under control, we could not fault the staff. The nurses and healthcare assistants were obviously rushed off their feet and the doctors involved were polite, courteous, efficient and knowledgeable.
Environment
Reception
Waiting time
Privacy