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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Just checking if iabu before I kick off...

435 replies

TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 22:59

Is 4 and a half hours in an urgent treatment centre without being seen even for triage unreasonable for a 12 year old with a suspected broken foot? No pain relief, nothing and he's been crying and begging me for help for hours.....my blood is boiling but I just need a reality check before I decide whether to say something or not. Opinions please!

OP posts:
Blort · 29/03/2023 23:20

I was in A&E with my Dad before Christmas. There was a woman who had a serious break - looking at it, it was clear she needed surgery, it looked horrendous.

3 hours she spent not having pain relief. I complained on her behalf 3 times, it hurt just to look at her I cant imagine living through it.

If we can't even treat people in an emergency with humanity then what the fuck are the NHS all doing?

Original poster
TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:21

A lady has very kindly given me a strip of paracetamol as she overheard my conversation with the receptionist. Tbis is the NHS today folks, having to take drugs from complete strangers because the nurses won't help 🙄

OP posts:
UnicornsHaveDadsToo · 29/03/2023 23:22

Ok, that'll obviously be very difficult to examine with palpation so it comes down to movements, observation +/- x-rays if necessary. Can he put any weight at all on that leg?

GrandTheftWalrus · 29/03/2023 23:24

And I bet a lot of the 111 cases don't need it.

Last year DD2 got a bad sunburn when she was 1 while out with my parents on a Sunday. Her face had blisters etc, so I phoned 111 for advice and they booked us into A&E for a doctor to see us and say there is nothing we can do, plenty of fluid and a water based cream on it.

Yet we were shoved up the queue when it wasn't even a hospital appointment never mind A&E. The doctor that saw her said a lot of people are being sent because 111 say so.

boydoggies · 29/03/2023 23:24

Would it be worth going home, take meds, have a good sleep and return in the morning?

GrandTheftWalrus · 29/03/2023 23:25

Also the person that phoned us back said we had to go incase she needed plastic surgery!

Highlyflavouredgravy · 29/03/2023 23:28

Do you have a car? Tske him to actual a and e.

UnicornsHaveDadsToo · 29/03/2023 23:29

TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:21

A lady has very kindly given me a strip of paracetamol as she overheard my conversation with the receptionist. Tbis is the NHS today folks, having to take drugs from complete strangers because the nurses won't help 🙄

You're in a medical environment. Every single pill has to be accounted for and prescribed by a qualified prescriber, even standard OTC (over-the-counter) medicines such as paracetamol. Unfortunately, that can't be done until triage has been done. Sorry, but that's how it absolutely has to be. Any deviation from that for any reason, and people's registrations are at stake.

Having said that, triage should take within a very short period of arrival at the unit, not after a 4-effing-hour wait. That should be the wait after triage, not FOR triage!!

kwpesi · 29/03/2023 23:29

To be fair as soon as I got there and saw the sign on the wall about 111 I would have called.

MyMNprofile · 29/03/2023 23:32

Not acceptable by any means but also entirely standard and has been for a while now. Kicking off rarely achieves anything other than demoralising staff that are already under insane pressure.

allmyliesaretrue · 29/03/2023 23:33

TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:03

Yes I am have for pain relief, and was told that he couldn't have any until he'd been triaged. Thanks for the replies so far. I just feel so helpless!

Keep pushing for him to be triaged - I don't think that's unreasonable! He's your boy and he is in pain. Hope he gets some attention soon x

CrocodilesCry · 29/03/2023 23:35

It's just not an urgent case - it doesn't make it acceptable, but him having a painful but non-life threatening injury is just not going to be seen quickly the way things are.

A relative was blue lighted with life-threatening symptoms, seen and discharged in about six hours over the weekend - incredible treatment considering the state the NHS is in. So I'm not surprised you're waiting. Hope he's seen soon.

FrankColumbo · 29/03/2023 23:35

TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:21

A lady has very kindly given me a strip of paracetamol as she overheard my conversation with the receptionist. Tbis is the NHS today folks, having to take drugs from complete strangers because the nurses won't help 🙄

The nurses are helping by continuing to triage the massive amount of patients, presumably. If they have to keep breaking off to give people pain relief then the wait for triage will get even longer.
It's a broken system. It's not the fault of the nurses. We do our best.
I hope your son gets seen soon

Yepyepyeppppp · 29/03/2023 23:35

TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:21

A lady has very kindly given me a strip of paracetamol as she overheard my conversation with the receptionist. Tbis is the NHS today folks, having to take drugs from complete strangers because the nurses won't help 🙄

More like the nurses are completely overworked and busy dealing with people with serious injuries and medical emergencies

Original poster
TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:37

UnicornsHaveDadsToo · 29/03/2023 23:22

Ok, that'll obviously be very difficult to examine with palpation so it comes down to movements, observation +/- x-rays if necessary. Can he put any weight at all on that leg?

No, he can't bear weight at all. Thank you for your help but we've been sent home and told to go back tomorrow as they're closing. I'm assuming he'll be OK with drugs and ice for the night or should I bother a and e?

OP posts:
Highlyflavouredgravy · 29/03/2023 23:39

Take him to a And e!
If you yhink his foot is broken he needs a and e

Original poster
TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:39

Yepyepyeppppp · 29/03/2023 23:35

More like the nurses are completely overworked and busy dealing with people with serious injuries and medical emergencies

Show quote history

I hope not, that's why a and e exists!

OP posts:
EmmaEmerald · 29/03/2023 23:40

Highlyflavouredgravy · 29/03/2023 23:39

Take him to a And e!
If you yhink his foot is broken he needs a and e

Seconding this
wish him a speedy recovery

Eqs · 29/03/2023 23:40

If it’s that bad go to a&e!!! With a
suspected break I’d never go anywhere else….what if it needs an op to be fixed? I know it’s hell but you’ll be better off there than home if it’s that bad. Sorry you’ve had such a shit experience.

Original poster
TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:41

Right thank you all, academic now as we're going home for drugs and rest but how is that an acceptable wait for a child in pain? Anyone in pain come to that!

OP posts:
Feraldogmum · 29/03/2023 23:41

It dire, so sorry for you but could be worse. My husband has had two heart attacks and 3 yrs ago a triple bypass,a few weeks ago he was having back and shoulder pain and his gp said it could be acute angina and to go to A&E ,as could also be a heart attack(2nd heart attack presented as shoulder pain.)We rolled up to A&E and they told him to come back in 2hours. Fortunately it seems they’re only trying to kill off the older patients( though I didn’t think 58 was geriatric) must be a cost cutting thing, drop dead whilst waiting and the only bed you’re taking up is in the morgue. Very depressing as my late father was a lifelong nhs dr, wouldn’t recognise it today.

Original poster
TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:42

Eqs · 29/03/2023 23:40

If it’s that bad go to a&e!!! With a
suspected break I’d never go anywhere else….what if it needs an op to be fixed? I know it’s hell but you’ll be better off there than home if it’s that bad. Sorry you’ve had such a shit experience.

Thank you x I asked about that at the UTC and was told I'd be waiting a minimum of 8 hours there so now I really don't know what to do!

OP posts:
Jonei · 29/03/2023 23:43

It's totally shit op that we're paying into a system that is completely failing. And somehow we're expected to grin and bear it 🙄 I hope your son is ok.

Original poster
TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:47

Feraldogmum · 29/03/2023 23:41

It dire, so sorry for you but could be worse. My husband has had two heart attacks and 3 yrs ago a triple bypass,a few weeks ago he was having back and shoulder pain and his gp said it could be acute angina and to go to A&E ,as could also be a heart attack(2nd heart attack presented as shoulder pain.)We rolled up to A&E and they told him to come back in 2hours. Fortunately it seems they’re only trying to kill off the older patients( though I didn’t think 58 was geriatric) must be a cost cutting thing, drop dead whilst waiting and the only bed you’re taking up is in the morgue. Very depressing as my late father was a lifelong nhs dr, wouldn’t recognise it today.

I'm sorry that's awful 😖 I can completely believe that though, my ex had a triple bypass at 47 (genetic not lifestyle).and his legs started to swell about 6 weeks later. I was worried about heart failure so made him ring 111, he waited 5 hours for a Dr to ring him back (2 am by this point) and then waited in a and e for another 10 hours waiting to be seen with no food or insulin despite being diabetic. This is what put me off ringing 111 from home tbh!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheSnootiestFox · 29/03/2023 23:47

Jonei · 29/03/2023 23:43

It's totally shit op that we're paying into a system that is completely failing. And somehow we're expected to grin and bear it 🙄 I hope your son is ok.

Thank you x

OP posts: