My GP asked me to go to A&E and while I was waiting I was just struck by how it was a pretty unpleasant environment to wait in for the family members of the ill and injured but utterly irrationally poorly designed for people who are ill or injured.
Firstly you were expected to stand and wait to check in, I explained I couldn't and they grumbled but accepted my explanation but a lot of people with obvious leg injuries or desperately ill were being made to stand and wait and then stand to check in and then move and stand in another line to speak to an initial clinician.
Then there were people clearly in huge physical discomfort sat on the world's most painful chairs with no way to get comfortable for a long stretch.
Plus people were explaining why they were ill and giving their symptoms and contact details and the receptionist was literally announcing them back loudly to the whole room, I think there was some sort of microphone so her voice could be heard through the glass. And no microphone going the other way so she was getting irritated with me because I was hard to understand (my condition gives me dysarthria when I am having a flare).
It just seemed mind bizarrely poorly designed for a place where unwell people go.
I realise cost is a real factor, but some simple changes like chairs while you wait and a privacy screen so the whole room doesn't hear your symptoms and address /living situation would seem like a good start.
Maybe it's just our local a&e but I was totally puzzled by it.
I would love to hear if other places have really good tweaks to make it more bearable though.
(And I would add that the clinical staff were absolutely brilliant and very knowledgeable and switched on about my rare condition and also very kind and compassionate despite an obviously busy evening)
It frustrated me just seeing people suffer but it also frustrated me because the process of waiting and dealing with that made me more unwell