How long should it take to see a Doctor?

Today I went into my local clinic and about 2 hours wait, got to see nurse she said I had to go to Arrowe park A+E But not to the reception but to a specific ward were someone was expecting me with my paperwork

They even got a taxi for me

But on getting there I was dumped in the main reception.

Anyway I had to leave because I needed to get the bus. I did not have my wallet with me.

So five hours and never got to see a doctor

Nomad

Very strange, if I had been sent by Taxi, I am sure I would have thought that serious enough to find the ward that I should have been at than getting the bus to somewhere else.

Hospitals are busy places, there are other people there who need help. Am sure they did not ignore you on purpose.

Why didnt you go to the specific ward?

They paid for your taxi. That's good of them. They didn't get to see you...obviously others in need ahead of you more of a priority. Quick on WikiWirral to criticise despite the NHS.

Why didn't you wait? What was so urgent?

Your work must have been slightly annoyed with the amount of time you had off.

I was sent there with suspected blot clot in my left leg.

Recently flown back on a long haul flight - 9 hours
I was told to go to the male acute ward, but it shut at 6.00pm

I then had to wait in the main A+E

After a couple hours waiting I asked how long it would take and was told the Doctor was busy

Well it was a Friday evening.

I have no complaints about any of the staff.

I will rest up till Monday and go and see my own Doctor

I wouldn't take a blood clot lightly mate. You need Heparan asap. Go back!!

Maybe you could pay back the taxi fair as it was obviously a waste if you wouldn't wait around.

As for how long in A&E it's like asking how long is a piece of string.

Maybe next time you need treatment put a notice up asking people not to have crashes, heart attacks, strokes and so on.

Maybe it's just me but I think it's ridiculous to wait seven hours (two at a clinic and then five at A&E) for a potentially life threatening condition. Yes, I know hospitals are busy but we wouldn't stand this from any other service such as ambulance, fire brigade or police. The NHS keeps failing the patients with weekly reports of neglect and incompetence on a massive scale but everyone just shrugs their shoulders and says well, they're busy. Recently my elderly neighbour was released from Arrowe Park after a long stay with a broken hip. The nurses messed up her medication and I had to go back to the ward for them to sort it out. While waiting in the ward for two hours it was a real eye opener watching the staff, out of visiting times, drifting around, chatting to each other while ignoring bed ridden elderly patients asking for help etc.

The ward will have been waiting for you Nomad. I work in a doctor's and see this happening quite a bit. No I'm not one of those people on reception you have to "get past" to see a doctor!!
Uffda, my daughter works on one of the wards in APH and all I know is she works her backside off, without a word of thanks from some people, not that she thinks they should be eternally grateful to her. All the staff aren't the same as you describe.

im sure if you could afford a long haul flight you could afford the taxi fare to hospital!!what a waste of money,maybe you would of been happier if the doctor had of come with you to hold your hand!

Uffda

Sure the NHS is a mess, however it is at a higher level than the nurses and other staff on the front line.

Maybe the nurses were talking about patients, medications, shift change over. Often there is little nurses can do until a Dr has said so and if I was on a ward and seen bed ridden elderly patients being neglected and ignored I wouldn't be here moaning about it, I would of reported it through the proper channels.

Having been a patient, a parent staying over, a visitor to dying family members and friends I have always in every situation found every nurse at Arrowe Park and Alder Hey to have the utmost respect for all patients and visitors.

Yes I get fed up waiting but that's down to political crap and not those dealing with the public day in day out hours on end.

Just to clarify.

I asked a question - how long is waiting time?

I made no complaint about any of the staff

I have had 13 flights this year and the only flights that I, myself have paid for , were take off only!

I am quite happy to pay for the taxi should they require it.

I was patient and made no complaints, it was late on Friday night, the Doctor was busy. I was in pain but you can no get anything for it whilst you are waiting.

Yes I would of loved for the Doctor to hold my hand - At least I would have seen one.

So once again, I ASKED A QUESTION AND DID NOT MAKE A COMPLAINT!!

Nomad

[b][/b][u][/u]



I would class the part in bold and 1 underlined as complaining.

ok I agree, but I was told to go straight to the ward were I was expected. and not go to the main reception.

But it was closed when I got there.

Just pure bad luck

Nomad

It's fine, your post didn't really bother me (taxi bit was tongue in cheek) but the member moaning about staff etc did annoy me slightly.

No problems,

People should be able to air their views. though it should be polite.

Just a small detail

My leg is swollen, hot to the touch, inflamed and tender to the touch.

But the Triage nurse at Arrowe park did not ask me to remove my jeans?

Nomad

Sounds like it could be a Deep Vein Thrombosis and you need urgent medical attention if it is.

Nomad- please go back as a matter of urgency. Worried about you.

Triage nurse would not necessarily ask you to remove your jeans as you were sent straight from your Doctor she just adds you to DOCTORS LIST .But what your describing is a typical blood clot and you should have stayed at hospital to get sorted you need a proper assessment as if it is a blood clot you need Heparin to disperse it Please go back to hospital.

Just to cheer you up Nomad, my mate went to bed and never woke up. They said it was a blood clot in his leg, he was in his early 30`s. Best mate, best man at my wedding, a great shame.
Get back to the hospital sooner than later.

I'm with Uffda here on the above comment. Having been to Arrowe Park with an elderly aunt in her 90's a few times after her falling, banging head and possible strokes, each occassion was the same. Not so much as any idea how long she was to be kept on the bed in A & E. Each time was 4 hours plus. The poor soul was slipping down the bed with chin on neck and feet off the end, needed the toilet, had severe bruising to one leg, and her comfort was not even acknowledged to be of concern. I approached the staff and was not satisfied with response. When I said she needed the 'ladies' it was obseved but not acted upon, just at that point a doctor came to see her. During the 4 plus hours,(which seems to be a statutary 4 hours anyway), not a minute less, I overheard staff chatting away, in the centre area, in a rather arrogant fashion about holidays, and where they were going for nights out, what they were doing at the weekend etc. That by anyones standards is not professional! Neither was anyone of them being rushed off their feet, that slithered around as if it was too much trouble to pick them up. Slovenly behaviour, from those we should be respecting. I don't believe the auxilliary nurses were even on this planet. If it's too much trouble luvvies, then don't bother! Maybe I will upset a few, but as a visitor to the hospital, that was my experience. Clatterbridge is vastly superior in their care. although they don't have an A & E.

Nomad, we have no choice, so be sensible,get back, wait your turn and hopefully you will receive the treatment necessary. I'm sure the doctor are top brass.

mmm....

No point going to Arrowe park tonight, or the weekend for that matter.

Will just end up sitting for hours on a seat

Thanks for advice people

plan is to actually see a Doctor on Monday

Nomad

Good Luck Nomad, but don't delay if you are unsure. Better to be on a bed in the right place than elsewhere, when it's important.

another possibility is the symptons your describing you could be suffering with cellulitus I went to hozzy and got kept in for 5 days on drips to cure this it aint nice so as others have stated get back to the hozzy pronto

I don't think you should have left, to be honest the staff are all there to help. I was at the Walk in centre at AP recently, they made me wait which was fine, I was seen and then referred directly to a ward. I was met on the ward and treated there. It must happen. I would imagine there was some kind of breakdown in communication and you should have made yourself known at reception a good few times and insisted on being seen not being left. I hope you told them you were going so they did not waste time looking for you.

AP is a great hospital.

I agree strongly with sallybear....

At A&E the aim is to try and see to you within 4 hours.

I have been sent by my GP with paperwork to see a specific ward doctor and when I got to reception the receptionist would not listen or look at the paperwork just told me to join the Q. A person came through to call a paitent through and got no reply so I asked her and she told me to come through and called the ward and the Dr came down and examined me. Ruptured disc.

I think it's who you get on the day!

Went back today, at first it was who are you?, but soon sorted .

needle to stomach and blood taken.

did complain about lack of biscuit

Nomad

Well said Sallybear! It [/b]is[b] a great hospital and a very busy one too.

I know a couple of people whose lives have been saved there and the care they received was faultless.

I agree that the wait in A&E can be too long. I was there about 2 years ago with someone who had a piece of metal in his eye (says he ALWAYS wears his welding mask, I'm unconvinced ) He was in a lot of discomfort and we waited about 3 hours. But when he did get seen, they were efficient and friendly even though they were obviously rushed off their feet.

Granny I think it's a tad unfair to make a comparison between Arrowe Park & Clatterbridge. Clatterbridge has dedicated specialist clinics and the vast majority of what they do is appointment based, so they can nearly always be prepared. I also know some people who've had fantastic care here too.

Both hospitals are great at what they do.

Yes, Zubee, I acknowledge that Clatterbridge is specialist care and I didn't critisize the medical care at Arrowe Park, just the A & E. members of staff, and agree the Triage work very hard. Once we slip past them there is the middle area which I was specifically talking about.
Clatterbridge comparison was more on the welcoming side and reception areas, but whatever point of contact we make at any hopsital, they should have the same professional manner.

Awwwww, best dust of your Virgin healthcare card......

Looks like I am going to be a regular.

On the DHSS "TWO WEEK RULE"

Nomad

I think its the norm now to wait.

After all they can not predict how long the previous patient is going to be.

I take a book with me and just chill out.

Do get slightly annoyed when I have been hanging around for several hours.

But on the whole a slight delay does not bother me

Nomad

Just a quickie - this is the NHS not the Council - who are guilty of many things - but not this one

I have a simple suggestion regarding how to manage waiting time.

It seems to me that the problem stems from the fact that the patient's time is free - to the hospital anyway. So if the managers want to save money, they simply cut down on staff and facilities and extend the waiting time. This has no negative financial repercussions for the hospital.

My suggestion is that when you give your details to reception, you will be given a timestamped ticket. When you are discharged sometime later, the time you have spent there is calculated and you are paid for it.

This allows managers to properly cost out the financial effects of underproviding.

I would suggest starting with a nominal amount of £5 an hour or part thereof. This can be adjusted, being increased if waiting time increases, and decreased if waiting time is ridiculously low.

I think if hospitals were required to include the cost of your and my time in their managing of resources, it might be a lot more effective than regulation, which rarely seems to work as intended.

I don't see this as a punitive measure directed at the hospital management, but rather a management tool to assist them in assessing how well they serve the public.

If that wasn't tongue in cheek, I'm speechless.

Rather than that I would sooner issue charges to the many who turn up at a&e with no need.

I would be grateful if some one can tell me why is there a 3 or 4 or more hour wait at a and e even longer at week ends.
ok doctors and nurses very busy due to an emergency that came in earlier" more often than not is what we the patients carer get told but surely" is there not an emergency team of doctors already there for that purpose its the main hospital on the Wirral, as a carer for my wife I find the attitude towards the carer is quite bluntly leaves a lot to be desired and I have on occasions had to bite my tongue towards some of the nursing staffs attitude towards carers and relatives.

I assume because too many people are going to A & E when they could wait to see their GP or use a walk in centre.
They cannot all need urgent care.

Spot on justice

It's the mamby pamby way people are these days, if they fart they think it warrants a trip to A&E. Man up !

It should be a case of the following:

A - Always call 999/attend A&E if
M - Medical emergency (diabetic, fit, dislocation, eye injury, head injury, bad asthma attack etc)
B - Blood loss, badly broken bones
U - Unconscious
L - Left or right sided weakness
A - Allergy with airway problem
N - Non-traumatic chest pain
C - Collapse or crashes
E - Everything else ring 111 or attend GP or WIC.

Obviously it's not an exhaustive list but you get the idea.

We have good services on Wirral. There are options of minor illness services, all day health centre. People go to a + e for ridiculous things when that time wasted on them could be spent on genuine cases. Each time a patient attends a+e warranted or not it costs their GP around £90