"Belfast Royal Hospital Emergency Department"

After waiting for a week on a GP appointment, I finally got to see someone about a gynaecological problem. Unfortunately my GP couldn’t help, they had to send me to A&E for an emergency scan.

Arriving at the Royal with my GP letter, I was informed I had to go to the Urgent Care Centre; which I thought was going to send me for the scan, but they were just sending everyone to A&E. So not sure what the UCC's role is.

I was given this sheet of paper that explained how to get to A&E, which I remember thinking what if you where disabled as it was quite a hike.

I got to A&E and was told that I was not an emergency, I was a category four (4) not sure what that meant. I was told go to waiting room and wait to be called. At that point the waiting time was 47 mins.

After an hour and half I went and asked what was wrong and I was informed the waiting time had been “bumped” to 3 hours after arrival.

After I had been waiting 3 hours from arrival, I asked again what was wrong and I was told it would be 5 ½ from arrival due to air ambulance arrivals.

I asked again after waiting 5 ½ what was wrong, as I was now getting hungry and needed to eat, but didn’t want to miss my name being called. I was told that it was now 7 ½ from arrival to be seen.

After arriving at the UCC at 12 midday and it was now 8 pm, I lost my temper as it was 8 hours waiting with no updates or information about waiting times from staff.

I asked for my referral letter from my GP, as I wanted to go elsewhere, but was told NO. I had tried explaining to the staff that I was the carer of a child with severe learning disability and needed to get home. I was informed that I would just have to wait.

After calming down, I apologised to the staff member, she then asked me to wait till 9.30 pm to be seen.

At 9.30 a doctor informed me that I needed to see a gynae doctor and would have to wait longer.

At 11 pm I was told to return to the Royal next morning, if I had not heard from the Royal by 11 am then I was to contact Zone B.

So for 11 ½ hours of waiting at the Royal hospital I received NO medical care whatsoever.

Next morning I had to contact the Royal as I had not heard from them, I got through to Zone B, only to be told that they had no referral from A&E and that I had to contact A&E to ask where my referral was. After holding for an hour, I gave up.

As my medical problem appeared to be worse, I contacted my GP and explained what happened at the Royal. I explained that they refused to give me back their referral letter, so they said that they wanted me to go to the Ulster Hospital soon, and that another referral letter would be waiting on me.

I went to the Ulster Hospital, and after sitting for 15 mins I was seen by a doctor. The doctor informed me that I had started to miscarriage that morning. The staff where lovely and sympathetic and very supportive. I understood that there was nothing the staff at the Ulster could have done at that point but I am left feeling “what if” the Royal had given me the medical attention my GP obviously thought I needed the day before.