I went into A&E around 3am on the in late July suffering extreme stomach pain. After a 5 hour wait, I was told my bloods suggested appendicitis and sent up to SAU around 8am. I was given pain relief here 5 hours after being sat in agony. I was put on a drip and sent to a waiting room. I was called through to see a young female doctor around 11am in a dirty examination room where there was blood on the floor and bed. She didn't really seem to take the pain seriously, told me a few things it could be and then sent me back to the waiting room.
I then saw a male doctor around 2pm who was far more helpful and said he would get me a scan. I sat in the waiting room in pure agony a further 3 hours before being told the scan wouldn't be till the following morning. So after 14 hours sitting in a waiting room, in pain and nil by mouth, I went home.
I went back the following morning and had the scan at 9. 30 on the dot as arranged. I then sat in the waiting room in SAU for 6 hours with no pain relief before I was seen again with the results. I saw a lovely female registrar who was the first person who took the pain seriously and told me I was going to have to go down for a camera in my tummy to see what was going on.
From there on, I can't fault the care. I was given a bed within 30 mins, operated on 2 hours later and discharged the next day. The registrar told me the next day that the op had been very much needed as I had a burst cyst that had caused infection and inflammation.
Waiting around in a chair in a waiting room in agony for 2 days before someone finally takes you seriously is not on in my opinion, especially when the bloods I had done in A&E on admittance showed there was something wrong. I must say the nurses on D5 West were amazing, especially Catherine and 'H'? ? They are worth their weight in gold and all that made those awful few days bearable for me.
"Waiting around in agony for 2 days."
About: Royal Gwent Hospital / Accident & Emergency Royal Gwent Hospital Accident & Emergency NP20 2UB Royal Gwent Hospital / General Surgery Royal Gwent Hospital General Surgery NP20 2UB
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