This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?

"Uncaring attitude of an A&E Doctor"

About: Colchester General Hospital

I visited my own doctor concerning breathlessness rib & chest pain on my left side. I have fibromyalgia and have had costochondritis but the pain I was experiencing was an 8/9. My doctor wanted me to have an x-ray the next day( Saturday,.She explained when I saw her again that she had meant Monday but I was in immense pain & so was remiss in questioning this) at Essex county but the dept wasn't open.I phoned the walk in,but they don't take referrals so i phoned the general and they said to bring the form with me to a& e. The reception staff,lovely,the nurse,great but the A&E Doctor I saw questioned my GP's referral,did not show any concern to my obvious distress, nor the pain in my chest or ask what medication I was on before he wrote a prescription. I was in so much pain. He didn't seem to know why my doctor had asked for my spine to be x-rayed if the pain was in my ribs(!) said I would need an MRI but said nothing more about it. When I explained that all the options he gave to help alleviate the pain were ones I already try,he still carried on about medication. I found him unhelpful,inconsiderate and not at all concerned with my pain. The doctor's treatment left me upset and in a worse state than when I arrived. I phoned 111 today and explained it all and they said...go back to GP in the morning. So I tried the out of hours gp line and the advice? Call 111. I felt the A& E doctor was most ingenious,showed little care or worry at my pain. He did not think to take blood tests,nor check my heart. I have seen my own doctor again and am now off work( unpaid as I am agency staff) & on a course of diazepam. If that's the decent way to treat people,then maybe( and I am fully aware of the dreadfully awful hours) part of training should be given over to showing respect and due care to patients and not treat them as if they were stupid.

nhs.uk logo
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Colchester General Hospital 9 years ago
Colchester General Hospital
Submitted on 19/01/2015 at 09:36
Published on nhs.uk on 20/01/2015 at 00:02


I apologise you’ve not had a good patient experience. We try really hard to improve our services based on the comments we receive from our patients, their relatives or carers. We would like the opportunity to discuss your experiences more fully and to apologise in person. If you are willing I would appreciate it if I could ask someone to contact you. Could you email me, using the reference “Comment on Accident and emergency services at 15/01/2015 12:11:53”, please? Many thanks Paul Searle, Head of Communications Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust info@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k