"Poor service beyond belief"

Having attended the emergency department at around 8:00 pm I was fairly quickly ushered into a room where my blood pressure and temperature were taken. I was then told to stay in the waiting area until called for treatment.

Approximately 1 hour later I was called back into the same room for the same checks.  It quickly became evident that this is what they were doing with all of the patients, no one appeared to be receiving treatment for their ailment. 

When I asked if I was going to see a doctor I was told, on numerous occasions, that the doctor would see me next. This never materialised and I was fobbed off with this false hope of seeing a medic throughout the entire night. 

One member of staff confided in me that there was no chance of me seeing a doctor as there were none available in this department for the entire night, just the ones doing the initial assessment who would not take matters further. 

Despite my severe pain I, along with many other suffering patients, was made to wait the entire night, some 12 hours before being passed onto another department for treatment. 

I witnessed several elderly people leave the hospital after some 14 hours of being fobbed off as they could not take it any longer. Others appeared to be writhing in agony or in floods of tears but nothing seemed to be done to alleviate their suffering. 

If someone had told me how bad the service was I would have thought they were exaggerating, but my experience was absolutely appalling. Ifee l that the board of directors for this hospital should feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves for allowing the service to sink to such a poor, uncaring and demoralising service. 

Throughout my 13 hours at the hospital I heard many staff discussing amongst themselves the fact that staff were leaving in droves and that they too were looking to leave the hospital. 

The staff seemed so demoralised, despondent and depressed that it has a deep impact on the patients they are supposed to be caring for. 

I sincerely hope I’m not in a position ever again to need the help of Russell Hall Hospital. 

Just appalling beyond words.