Absolutely appalling care from start to finish while attending A&E. I unfortunately suffer from a severe disabling anxiety disorder and depression coupled with genuine medical problems. I have attended A&E frequently due to both which I find scary and overwhelming at the best of times. I have great difficulty separating my anxiety from my underlining health problems and apparently so do the A&E as I was treated with no empathy , terrible bedside manner from a consultant and a very abrupt consultation. I have had an ongoing UTI for 5 weeks after 3 allergic reactions to the antibiotics I have been left untreated. I developed a low temperature ,a extremely fast heart rate with palpitations and couldn't stop shivering. I panicked as I was concerned about my infection spreading and I also have a heart arrhythmia . My heart had been over 110 for three days with continuous palpitations and I have been advised to have my enzymes checked and an ecg by my cardiologist if this occurs. My first experience was by the nurse in triage who said with great disdain , oh we've seen you before . Then had nothing else to say besides staring at me with arms folded and the other nurse triaged me. After waiting hours I was eventually called in.I explained my concerns to the consultant who could not have been any ruder . The consultant practically bit my head off asking me why was I here? I explained calmly about my concerns about becoming ill with the UTI , esp Sepsis and I was asked to return if things got worse. I also explained about my fast heart and the advice I was to go to A&E and have my bloods checked. The consultant told me that could wait till I next see my Cardiologist.That made no sense as with my arrhythmia and length of time my heart was fast I was told to get it checked to always be safe than sorry. The consultant completely ignored me and told me to go home and follow up with my gp. The consultant did not address my concerns over my low temp 36 , my hr 127 , bp was 173/101 and my current UTI. Which according to NHS could indicate Sepsis. I was already petrified and their manner was truly awful. The consultant refused to check my bloods nor acknowledge my UTI, and said they would check my urine and if it was ok I could go. I gave a sample but it was infected and the consultant just said go back to my doctor as I was wasting their time. I became very upset and anxious and had a full panic attack I asked the consultant to speak to liaison psychiatry as I was now so upset and at my wits end and the consultant was just being rude and completely lacking in any empathy. I felt ill and scared and now distraught. I asked the consultant to leave me and the nurse who had been stood staring at me in triage, walked in the room, Dr turned to the nurse and said I had accused the Dr of poor bedside manners and the nurse turned around shot me a dirty look and loudly slammed the door shut behind them. It was absolutely disgusting because I had at no point said anything rude to either of them and I had never even spoke to the nurse in question. Unfortunately no more room to cont.
"Severely lacking all around"
About: Darlington Memorial Hospital / Accident and emergency Darlington Memorial Hospital Accident and emergency Darlington DL3 6HX
Posted via nhs.uk
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