"Visit to A and E"

I visited A and E this afternoon, on the advice of a paramedic, and would like to comment that some things were definitely in need of improvement. For myself, after a wait of around 2 hours, which I had expected and was not concerned about, I was seen by a lady doctor (?) who did not introduce herself, who greeted me with, 'why didn't you go to your GP?' followed by 'you are not having an x ray!' She made assumptions about my attitude that were quite erroneous and seemed antagonistic, cold and intent on getting me out as quickly as possible. Having said this her physical examination was thorough, though I did not feel reassured as no explanation was given as to why I was in increasing pain with a secondary symptom. I was made to feel a nuisance for having 'bothered' A and E. Not a good attitude for a health care professional. Can I also comment that the queue for registration at reception poses difficulties for several patients. Standing, when to stand means pain, is very difficult. The rows of connected seats nearby are not accessible to those in the queue without losing your place! Why is there no chair available in front of the reception window? What concerns me greatly is the way the triage system seems to be failing those in acute pain or distress, or the very young. The patients were seen, as far as I could tell, in the order they arrived. There was a child of 3 with a cut chin who was obviously in some pain and whose parents were having difficulty stemming the occasional flow of blood as she wriggled around during the long wait for attention. Worse than this, there was a young woman in extreme distress, having great difficulty breathing. She was saying her blood oxygen level was less than 25% and that she had a suspected pulmonary embolism. She, too, waited for two hours or more when urgent care would seem to me to be more appropriate. There didn't seem to be any member of the medical staff overseeing the waiting patients during this time. I am glad you are there, Lincoln A and E, but can you please get your act together and improve both your systems and your humanity?