"Waiting in outpatient with small children at Queen's, Romford"

I had an appointment for myself today. I have 2 small children and i had no-one to care for them, i picked them up and went straight to my appointment after school.

I have been in back/hip/knee and leg pain for over 3 days. When i got there which was over 30 minutes early the waiting time was 15 min delay. I was moved outside the consultant's room and waited and waited. People who had come after me were being seen, so i asked and they said i was next and that i should have said i had small children.

They discussed me with each other in front of me and said to each other that they had told me that it was not on a first come first seen basis, which was not true. I would have taken my children and fed them before coming. I asked again when i would be seen as my children were getting impatient and i was in a lot of pain and i was told after the patient who had just come back from x-ray. I told them that i had not even been seen once, i had taken their names so that i could complain already. But there was nothing they could do. They said they had only 1 consultant.

The consultant whom i was under had left after dealing with a member of staff's personal matter whereas he could of seen another patient and helped his registrar but anyhow i could not wait and i left without being seen.

I went to PALS to complain and the woman there kept saying "what you want me to do?" over again and again and i just broke down. The pain, the waiting, and hungry children did not make my visit pleasant. I went to outside reception and spoke to reception and she gave me a number for complaints to ring. I rang them when i got to the car, again i broke down and the lady said she would refer the matter to pals manager for them to get in touch with me to make another appointment. She did seem considerate.

That is all it takes: consideration. And this hospital i feel has none, as i have been to these appointments before and waited and waited.

A very sore and aching patient.