"Terrible A and E Experience at Surrey"

I I went to the Royal Surrey with severe abdominal pain. I was admitted into the acute A and E ward. I found the nurses who treated me to be rude and unsympathetic. There were around 5 of us in the ward I think. During the 4 hours I was there waiting to see a Doctor, I saw a nurse twice. The staff (there were at least 4 wandering round my area ) seemed to me to spend most of those 4 hours complaining about how rushed off their feet they were. It didn’t seem to me they were that busy

One nurse moaned about their day, the work load etc for the full four hours. One nurse hurt her foot and was told to sit down and not work due to a work injury, another seemed to spend the whole time photocopying.

.I needed the toilet .. got out of bed, found a nurse at the nursing station who initially did not acknowledge me. Finally she answered my request as to where the toilet was. The toilet was outside of the ward and the area round the toilet was covered in wee, the toilet in faeces. There was however a laminated sign suggesting we notify someone if the toilet wasn't up to their normal standards. That’s alright then. There was also a whiteboard reminding everyone to wash their hands with soap before entering the ward .. Which I had to bypass on the way back from the toilet. Nice. No one checked I had come back.

Meanwhile a poor older lady who was in the cubicle next to me kept calling out for something to drink. In the four hours I was there no one gave her anything or explained to her why she couldn't have a drink. The man on my right came in with a very high temperature. He seemed confused and distressed. One of the nurses called out to all and sundry if anyone could fit the patient with a catheter to which the shouted reply was that they had not had the training yet. Eventually the poor man wet himself at which point there was much tutting and sighing from the staff. Dignity in care. Forget it. The same nurse handed me a suppository. They laughed and pulled a face, saying that I should put it in because they did not what to. This showed very little compassion.

Finally a lovely and extremely tired and distressed Doctor came, after the nurses had phoned saying it was going to be four hours soon. This implied to me that statistics will come into play.

The poor Doctor was professional and helpful but seemed very tired. I was discharged after 4 hours. After my experienced I will never goto that hospital again and I would not want to leave my relatives here without being present.