"Treated like an inconvenience."

I was admitted via ambulance after taking a very nasty fall which hurt my knee. I couldn't walk on it at all, was very painful and swollen.

Me and my friend were in a room for roughly an hour or so waiting. I asked for some water and was refused in case I need surgery. I asked for pain relief and again was refused.

I was wheeled in for 2 Xrays then wheeled back to the room which was adjacent to the reception. Me and my friend became very tired so she scooted onto the bed with me and we fell asleep.

A while later my friend was woken and told she couldn't sleep because the bed was just for me. We had been sleeping for almost an hour so didn't see the point in that. The way the nurse spoke to my friend really offended her and she felt she was treated like an inconvenience.

About 20 minutes later (been there for almost 4 hours now) a doctor came and prodded my leg. They asked a few questions and made me move it a bit. They told me my knee and leg looked normal. I asked about the xrays and she was completely unaware I had any taken!

They went off to check them and seconds later came back and said they are fine.

I was told to go home, take anti inflammatory medication and keep moving the leg. I asked again for pain relief or some anti inflammatory medication and was refused. They told me I can get Ibuprofen from Tesco for 80p! I was a visitor to this town, it was 5am and I could barely walk.

My friend asked the name of the nurse she had a disagreement with as she wanted to complain. The nurse gave their name eventually but began to disagree and debate with my friend which again was unprofessional. Then the doctor told us about their zero tolerance policy. I told the doctor it's also unprofessional to argue with patients. We were well within our right to ask the nurses name. That's how complaint procedures work..

I rang NHS direct today and explained my experience. They told me to get a second opinion as I may have tendon damage. They too was quite shocked at my treatment at Southport Hospital.

My bad experience here does not reflect on all staff. I'm sure most there are professional and genuinely caring but I do feel that such a quiet hospital shouldn't have patients waiting hours on end to be seen while they all chat at reception. If all it took was to spend 5 minutes feeling my leg since everyone was oblivious to my xrays, then why was I sat there for 5 hours?

I've seen a busy hospital, I'm from Manchester and I work within the NHS myself. Patient care should be paramount.