Three days ago, I was in Glasgow's West End, bad weather, lots of wet leaves on public footpaths, and I slipped on a step, fell, and went over on my ankle. Very badly. I knew immediately that, at the very best, it was a serious sprain. I was in considerable pain, couldn't walk, and certainly couldn't drive myself anywhere, although I was parked nearby. Although I've lived in Glasgow most of my life, I suddenly realised that I had no idea what to do next.
As it happens, I'd left my phone at home and had no opportunity to 'google' where on earth I was supposed to go. I hauled myself up, hailed a taxi and asked the driver if he could take me to a minor injuries unit - not that I'd ever thought about what constituted a minor injury....do they have x-ray machines there? How would I know?
We were literally yards from the Western Infirmary, but the driver thought the MIU there had closed. It hadn't, but his confusion was understandable - it is due to close shortly and transfer to Yorkhill, or so Chinese whispers tell me - but don't quote me on that - NHS Glasgow's website has no information that I can easily find about the impending closure.
We were only a mile from Gartnaval, but A & E is long-closed there, of course; it was rush-hour and the driver thought it could take anything up to an hour to get through the Clyde Tunnel to the new super hospital. I knew anyway that if I went there I could be in A & E for several hours, and what I needed urgently was a comfortable place to elevate and put hot and cold compresses on an ankle that was getting more swollen and bruised by the minute.
The taxi driver took me home. I self-administered, but had no idea at that stage whether I'd broken anything. I still don't, but the swelling has gone down, I've strapped it up and, a couple of days later, I am able to hobble around the house. Is this the future of the NHS? Feels more like the Dark Ages to me.
"I wasn't sure where to go"
About: NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Posted by Feeling Vulnerable (as ),
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