"The doctors and nurses were very helpful and well informed"

I went to the Larbert Hospital A&E department last Saturday, travelling by public transport as we are encouraged to do.

The public transport route took me to the main entrance of the hospital, finding my way to A&E from here was very difficult – there is no signage. As it was about 5: 30pm on a Saturday there were fewer people around in the hospital so I had to wait for staff to pass my way so that I could ask for directions. One long corridor took me down to the mental health unit so I had to go back down another corridor, it was confusing.

It’s also a long way from the main entrance; my wife and I are able to walk good distances so it did not affect us. I don’t know how some people with difficulty walking would manage it, although there are wheelchairs they could all be taken up at busy times.

Once in A&E the service I received was fine. The doctors and nurses were very helpful and well informed – they know who my GP is, when I’d had my last Tetanus injection! The only slight criticism is that after the doctor had been to see me I waited for 20-30 minutes for further information. In the end I asked the nurses at the desk, explaining I had come on public transport and would need to leave in time to get the last bus back. Missing bus would make the journey back more awkward.

When they checked the pigeon hole they could see the doctor’s instructions had been left – the nurses were very apologetic and were very prompt in treating me after this so that I was able to leave. Not sure if the doctors are supposed to tell the nurses when they leave instructions or if the nurses are meant to keep checking.