"Not impressed"

Thank you, Gemma, for taking the time to post your feedback about your experience of our Accident and Emergency Department. It is so disappointing to receive such a poor rating and negative comments. We aim to offer the highest standard of care to our patients and we must apologise if we did not achieve this on the day of your visit. We are so sorry you felt our receptionist was rude to you; there is never an excuse for such behaviour. The department can get very busy at times but our aim, in line with all hospitals departments nationally, is to see, treat, admit or discharge patients within four hours of arrival. Without knowing the exact date and time of your visit, and reviewing your hospital notes, it is difficult to know why you were told you would have such a long wait, particularly if, as you say, the department was not busy on the day of your visit. One reason may have been that patients with more major injuries were being seen first. If you would like us to look into your concerns further, please get in touch with A&E lead nurse Victoria Perry via the hospital switchboard on (01384) 456111. She will be more than happy to meet with you. If you prefer, you can contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on free phone 0800 073 0510. In the meantime, we have passed your comments onto the matron in charge of A&E and she will ask her team to discuss them at their next team meeting.