"Whatever happened to talking to people?"

My son was admitted to A&E via ambulance, I followed in my car so that I had transport to get home.

When I arrived at reception I was told that my son was not there, except I knew he must be.

It was only when I spotted one of the Paramedics that the receptionist opened the door and allowed me through.

The Paramedic told me that the staff were just doing obs and that the nurse would come and get me.

After waiting over 30 minutes I asked a passing nurse whose attitude was that my query was an inconvenience, but eventually it was established that my son was in the red zone and I was directed to the bay he was in.

At no point did anyone offer me any information about his condition or any subsequent treatment plan.

It was over 7 hours before a doctor arrived to examine my son, the doctor was pleasant and told me that my son would be allowed home in a few hours.

I went off to get a coffee and a drink for my son only to return and be told rather curtly that 'the monitor says he is discharged so he can't drink that in here'.

Whatever happened to talking to people?

I'd been ignored for 7 hours, nobody volunteered any information about where I could get a coffee and the nurses stood around in the department were more interested in chatting to each other.

The alarms on my son's monitor went off several times, as did others I heard but they were ignored.

I am beyond appalled at the attitude of the staff and the apparent lack of organisation throughout the department.

Something needs to change, this is supposed to be a state of the art hospital, it may be a flashy building but the care falls well below being even average.

I hope I do not have reason to attend again.