"My first experience of needing the Minor Injury..."

On 28th October 2015 at 0650 hours, whilst answering the call of nature (Water, not solids!) I felt a trickle from my nose and dabbing with a tissue revealed blood. I have had the odd nose bleed in the past and they have stopped within a very short while. However, this one showed no sign of stopping. On temporarily plugging my nose I managed to shower and shave and dress. My wife was going to an opera with a friend and she left at 1015 hours and I continued to attempt to stop the nose bleed. Having no success, at 1630 I drove to the Minor Injuries Unit at LIskeard Hospital and on arrival was booked in by a Nursing Auxiliary, who then provided a bowl and cold compress and instructed me to lean forward and pinch my nose with a view to stemming the bleeding. The Nurse in Charge also checked me regularly and discussed my situation with Derriford Hospital and because my blood pressure was high it was decided I should be taken there, and so at 1730 an ambulance was requested. However, two ambulances that had been instructed to attend were then redirected to other cases. At 2215 hours an ambulance arrived and I was taken to Derriford. After about an hour and a half I was seen by a Doctor who then proceeded to try various ways of stemming the bleeding without success. I was given two tablets to lower my blood pressure and eventually the Doctor decided the only thing left to do was put a bung in my nose and then I would have to stay in overnight and be reassessed the following day. Having the bung inserted was not a pleasant experience and at about 0530 I was taken to the ward. Needless to say I was very tired but unable to sleep. A consultant with a few Doctors came and decided the bung should stay in until the following day. However, shortly after, one of the Doctors returned and said they were confident they could cauterise my nose and I could then go home in the afternoon of that day. I agreed, and the bung was removed and the Doctor spent over an hour cauterising. I was eventually allowed to go home at 1730 hours. I had a follow up telephone call from a member of staff at the Minor Injuries Unit a few days later which was very much appreciated. Both the staff at the Minor Injuries Unit and the Doctors I saw at Derriford treated me very well and I can't praise them high enough. The ambulance crew were also very friendly and efficient. The experience was marred by almost a five hour wait for an ambulance even though they elevated their call to a 999 level due to my blood pressure being so high. The problem was as I understand that because I was in a 'Place of safety' then my needs were deemed of lower importance. If I had dialled 111 from home I might have been attended to a lot sooner as that is not deemed a place of safety especially as I was on my own. I felt that I was trying to be as small an inconvenience as possible but my actions worked against me. The system still needs a lot of work.