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"Waiting in ACU"

About: East Surrey Hospital

On the 30th June, My GP had sent me to the ACU to check out if i had a blood clot in my arm due to swelling. We arrived at the hospital around 4.30 pm. I was sent there as I have just finished treatment for a blood clot 2 weeks ago as i had one behind my knee. I have also just had surgery on my arm due to a frozen shoulder. When on arrival I was seen by a nurse and observations done, Nurses had trouble getting blood from me and was told I will have to wait for the doctor to take the blood sample from me. During my time there I was asking for morphine due to the extreme pain in by arm from the surgery I had on the 19th June. I was told that the doctor would have to prescribe this and have to wait. I had lost count how many times I had kept asking and kept going to the nurses station. I as in so much pain, i was crying as i couldn't take anymore. 5 hours later I was giving pain relief. When I finally saw a doctor around 11,30 the doctor didn't even listening to what i was saying. I was giving information with dates etc and the doctor just repeating it back to me and writing it down the wrong way. What is the point of going somewhere where there is suppose to be care and compassion. There is no quality of care what so ever. This is and will be the last time I go to this hospital as last night was the final straw for me. Fracture clinic is always running over time and patients are waiting hours, then you go on the urgent waiting list for surgery and still waiting months and expected to cope with serve pain. The whole NHS system stinks and needs to start thinking about the needs of patients and listen to them.

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Responses

Response from Ben Mearns, Chief of Medicine, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 9 years ago
Ben Mearns
Chief of Medicine,
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Doctor

Submitted on 02/07/2014 at 16:03
Published on Care Opinion at 17:07


picture of Ben Mearns

Dear Tina

I am very sorry for the bad experience that you had.

Can you please confirm that this was the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) at East Surrey Hospital as your story says the ACU which is a term that I do not recognise?

If you would like to send me your details I can look into the matter urgently for you. Please email me on ben.mearns@sash.nhs.uk if you would like to, or alternatively you can speak with our PALS service via switchboard.

I am very sorry for the unacceptable delays and I hope that you are now well.

Thank you for your feedback.

Dr Ben Mearns

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Response from Ben Mearns, Chief of Medicine, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 9 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
Ben Mearns
Chief of Medicine,
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Doctor

Submitted on 05/09/2014 at 15:13
Published on Care Opinion at 16:31


picture of Ben Mearns

Dear Tina

Thank you so much for your time today and explaining how awful that day in our Acute Medical Unit was.

It is simply not acceptable that you were not given adequate pain relief when you asked for it, and even more so that you felt completely ignored. This falls far below our standards and I am truly very sorry. The length of time to assess you was also unacceptable especially as you were clearly in pain.

I am grateful to you for the feedback and for giving me enough details to now find your notes and investigate in detail.

I will get back to you once I have more details to show you the direct actions to improve patient care that will result from your feedback.

I am extremely sorry for the distress that we have caused you and very grateful to you for letting us know.

Kindest regards

Dr Ben Mearns

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