Care Opinion

Waiting in the ED

Posted By Maisie19

"Waiting in the ED"

About: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France / Accident & Emergency

(as a carer),

Hideous visit to the ED on a Monday afternoon. 91 people waiting according to the notice board. Seats are only for those who are sick but it’s very hot, I’ve been here over 6 hours and even the vending machine for cold water isn’t working. My husband is here with a suspected heart attack and we are awaiting troponin results. I feel it’s unreasonable to make anyone stand for this length of time in this heat. 

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Responses

Response from Niall Carey, Clinical Service Manager, Acute and General Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France - NHS Lothian 5 months ago
We are preparing to make a change
Niall Carey
Clinical Service Manager, Acute and General Medicine,
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France - NHS Lothian

Clinical Service Manager

Submitted on 09/08/2024 at 12:07
Published on Care Opinion at 12:35

Dear Maisie19

Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us. I was disappointed to hear about your experience in accessing the Emergency Department (ED) and I am very sorry that you had such a poor experience.

I apologise for the long wait you experienced. Our services are under significant pressure and we appreciate that there are times when the wait for assessment or treatment is longer than we would like. We are also conscious that the capacity in our waiting area is limited and this is particularly evident at times when the department is very busy.

The vending machines within our waiting area are managed by our Catering Services team and I will ensure that your feedback is passed on to this team. Drinking water can be provided to patients and relatives who present to the department and I apologise if this was not clear. We will review signage around this issue to make this clearer.

Should you wish to discuss your feedback in greater detail, please do get in touch with NHS Lothian's Patient Experience Team via our email - feedback@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk.

I would like to pass on my best wishes to your Husband and thank you for taking the time to get in touch.

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