"Waiting is way over the average"

I had to visit QEUH on Monday 5th February 2024.

I woke up at 4 in the morning with a very painful and badly swollen left hand, I managed to remove my rings and attempted to strap up wrist this proved to be extremely painful also attempting to get dressed, once dressed it was obvious to me there was something wrong so I telephoned a taxi and went to the E & A at the QEUH arriving at 7am saw the triage nurse who put me through to another waiting room, they took bloods, sent me for an x-ray this whole procedure took app 4 hrs,

Then I saw a very nice junior doctor who called another staff who thought it might be gout, suggested they phone ambulatory for further tests, this took forever, then I was placed in a bay and was given antibiotics, then sent to the receiving ward at app 3 ( I was put in a room in the ward which had been cleaned with some kind of bleach and was so overpowering you could not stay in the room, and I did not see a doctor till 7 so I was in hospital a total of 12hrs still not knowing what the problem was, however we are still not sure what caused or what the problem was.

I was thankfully discharged given anti-inflammatory tablets got my letter and was out the hospital for 8 a total of 13hrs which personally I find ridiculous, and yes I am aware of lengthy waiting times, but find the QEUH particularly bad this is my second experience which was worse,

I am a fit 80year old woman thank goodness, we had nothing to eat or drink all day till five when we were offered something by the staff nurse in the ward, 

It is my opinion that E & A seems to be a tick box part of the procedure and they pass you on when that is completed, I also appreciate the shortage of staff etc, but 13hrs waiting is way over the average. It is time the QEUH board had a look at what is going on and do something positive about the whole situation.