"A lack of genuine care by medical staff."

What I liked

I was taken to A and E at Chorley by ambulance after suffering an asthma attack having called 999. I live in Croston and the journey should have taken 15 minutes maxiumum, but the driver got lost using his Sat Nav and the journey took some 45 minutes. That night A and E was under staffed with nurses and it was quite a while before I was seen - fair enough. A doctor saw me after about an hour and a half and said he would see me after seeing other patients - fair enough. I was told that I would have to make my own way home - by this stage is was 1am. The ambuilance had taken me as an emergency I did not have any money on me and the nurses said I would have to get a taxi home. In the end I phoned a friend who does not have good health herself and she had to get out of bed and collect me. During my long stop at A and E I was studiously ignored by nursing staff although one did offter to make me a cup of tea. In the end I did not see a doctor for a second time and I said I was going home and the nurses said that was my decision. I know it must have been a bad night for A and E from a staffing point of view, but nurses seemed to be either standing around, making cups of tea or going outside for a cigarette. It would have taken a couple of minutes for the doctor to discharge me, but he seemed to be intent in staring at a computer screen. There seemed to me a lack of care by medical staff, even though I know they are very busy and there is a certain protocol. It is worrying that a local ambulance driver can't find Chorley Hospital! All this took place on the evening of Monday 6th December.

What could be improved

I think things could be improved if there was a more human approach by staff instead of strict adherence to protocol. To expect me to get home in the early hours with no means was outragous to say the least. I don't want to go public with my criticism because I don't want to put people off attending the hospital. But in my role as a Methodist minister I felt I had to say something.