Had to take DS to A and E tonight with a raging temp and rash, turns out he had Scarlett Fever
Was in childrens A & E which was busy, we went through to see the triarge nurse came back and no room to sit, a family of six had since come in and was sat on the seats with a teenaged girl who had her foot up, so seven in total.
I Soon clocked they were all family as one member was passing sweets between them (looked like a Mum, dad, sister, grandma, grandad, the girl called another women aunt and then what looked like could be a uncle)
At this point we are sat on the floor with DS crying his eyes out, within five minutes two other little toddlers came in both distressed and crying with parents who also had to sit on the floor
At this point I approached the family and asked in any of them were able to vacate seats so the toddlers could at least sit down on a parents knee. Was told no we have a right to sit here by the mother.
A nurse overheard this and told them that some would have to move and there is no way they can all go through to cubicals anyway. At this point the aunt and I think uncle got up and said they would leave and for the parents to call them with updates.
The mother starts crying that the girl wanted them all there (the girl who was on her I pad looked like she could not have cared who was there). The Mum goes on and on until the girl says “shut up Mum”.
The nurse says again room will have to be made for patients to sit and at that point the Mum grabs the wheelchair with her daughter in, tells the nurse she will complain and calls me an interfering bitch. The Mum marches pushing the wheelchair out with the family who follow behind.
An hour later we are called through and DS is seen and on the way out we see the girl is back in the waiting room with the dad and I think grandad.
All in all very bizarre, DH said I was right to say something but should I just have kept my mouth shut.