I got up at just befor 3:30 AM this morning and went make a cup of tea before the kettle had even boiled a massive headache hit me in under what seemed like a minute and I thought I was going to pass out with the pain so quickly went and sat down. Shouting for Sarah she came to see what was going on took one look at me and rung for an Ambulance except they told her that before they would send an Ambulance a Doctor would ring her and talk to her about what was going on, another new save money scheme by the Government. The Doctor rang up and was going through things with Sarah and then sent an Ambulance when he found out I had hit my head. The Ambulance crew were brilliant and put me through all sorts of tests to see which Hospital I needed to go to as they could not find anything too serious with their equipment they took me to Lewisham Hospital which is an awful place instead of Kings which is a great place. Got there just before 4:00AM and the Ambulance men signed me in with the nurse in A&E, two and a half hours later I was still sat there in the cold and had not been seen by the nurse let alone by the Doctor and there was only two of us in there. Finally one of The Ambulance men saw me and asked if I had been seen yet so I told him NO and he looked a bit annoyed and went to see the nurse who was wearing jeans a sweatshirt and training shoes! She came out and called my name and did the same tests they had done in the Ambulance and said she thought it was a bad headache and I needed some Co Codamol which she could not give me only the Doctor could and told me to go sit outside. I waited another hour until I went back to see the nurse and asked how long before I could see the Doctor as my head was killing me, three maybe two hours she told me. I really had had enough by then so told her and left to get home as I have them tablets at home anyway. What a complete waste of time and effort!
The Ambulance people were great as usual everyone else was useless. The young man I was talking to had a suspected fracture in his leg and had been there 5 hours! He had a complaints form and was telling me he was not going to put it in the box they have there for the forms but was going to send a copy to the Chief Executive of the Hospital and the Original to our local Member of Parliament as he was horrified the way he had been treated. It was freezing cold in A&E and they had not even given the poor young man a hot drink nor did they offer me one so I went across to this little cafe place and got two cups of tea which we were both grateful for although it did have a sign up saying do not eat and only drink a little water. They should try sitting in the cold in pain thirsty and hungry and see if they like it! Although it seems it is not the staffs fault as they do their best it is poor management that has let this place down. In the UK we have independent inspectors that go to the Hospitals and check every bit of them for cleanliness, staff uniforms, staff traing, food everything and they award stars for each thing then add them all together and give the Hospital a final award 5 being the highest bit like a Hotel really. Guys for the main Hospital and the Dental school has 5 for each, Kings has 4 for the Dental School and 3 for the main Hospital, Lewisham Hospital has 0 for both bits, I rest my case!
Neil.
+ Phoenix.
still should have went to the doctors. Yes here too, I say get thee checked out
