"ultrasound disaster"

During an unexpected stay in Medical HDU I was booked in for an ultrasound scan, the scan was booked for 3pm. A porter was sent up at 3:20 and off I went, I then sat waiting in the waiting area opposite the desk for an hour and a half. I watched the waiting room fill and empty 3 times, staff sitting in rooms waiting for patients to appear and listening to a member of hospital staff recall a family issue twice to different staff and as they were in an open reception office it was quite easy for those waiting to hear what they and their family were going through.

After an hour and half of feeling increasingly anxious both at my medical condition and my inability to ask what was happening as I was unable to walk to the counter or gain eye contact as the counter is so high an assistant that had come out to collect their next patient actually asked if I was ok. I told them how long I'd been there & they made sure I was seen quickly.

I was very grateful for their help and then the treatment I received from the radiographer I saw and the assistant. My concerns were raised again when they said it was lucky they could see me as an extra as it wasn't always possible. An extra, I had been booked in for 3pm, collected by a porter from that department but was now an extra!

Scan done, my medical concerns raised even more I was returned to the waiting room & told a porter had been called only to find out that when staff from Medical HDU had phoned asking if I was still there they were told they had no record of me.

No porter arrived and it was only that the assistant that showed some initial interest in me personally took me back to my ward that I got back at nearly 5:30!

I was very disappointed in the quality of care I was given by the majority of the department as they were obviously more interested in themselves that the people they are employed to look after, who are generally not feeling 100% and susceptible to increased anxiousness.