I had to go to A&E last summer. Covid rates were negligible. I waited 2.5 hours on the pavement in pouring rain for an ambulance. I had a very badly broken wrist (plated three days later) and a suspected fractured vertebrae.
On arrival a senior nurse and administrator yelled abusively at the ambulance crew because they hadn't been told they were waiting, they were standing in front of them. We then heard reception yell at a patient who asked how long they would be. Reception were sitting chatting but yelled at the gentleman for asking, and all the while game shows were playing at full volume.
There was zero communication and after 5 hours I waved down a nurse whonshouted at me asking what I'd done with my wristband. I wasn't given one. She brought one and took me to another waiting room which was much more civilised ordering my husband to sit down on the other side of the room. He wanted to wait with me and very politely said he was happy to stand twice. The third time he raised his voice and she bent down to my level and rolled her eyes at me. It was disgraceful. We noted about half a dozen staff behind glass in this room having a great laugh and banter about their holidays.
Eventually I was seen by a junior Dr who spoke to me as though I had fewer than three brain cells and assumed I was retired as I was over 60. I am not. She then launched into a very patronising frailty review. When we got to my injuries she refused to accept I might have a broken vertebrae and told me I had to trust her because she had been to medical school. I fought for a back XRay and she told me there was only an old injury and therefore I hadn't fractured a vertebrae in the accident.
I was taken to resuss for my wrist to be reduced and the registrar was shocked that nobody noticed my rings needed to come off - perhaps the junior Dr might have noticed if she'd been less busy being reductive.
We arrived at 5.30pm and left at 5.30am. I was not offered so much as a glass of water. There were more staff in cubicles than patients.
After a few months I was still suffering acute back pain - wrist was fine. My GP refused to refer for physio or further investigation because I had relatively good movement. I asked for a private referral. The T1 fractured by over 40% on the day of the accident.
There was so much wrong on so many levels it was shocking. Eventually I got a reasonably full apology, probably because I am well educated and articulate. I would be very concerned for anyone less able and more Ill at that hospital and suspect it is reflected throughout the UK. An extraordinary amount of both clinical time and then my time was wasted.
The NHS is not fit for purpose. It has become incrementally worse year on year since the day it started. It is everything to do with attitude and organisation and less imo about funding.
If I were the OP I would be contacting my MP and PALS and waiting at the hospital for news.