A REDDITCH mum has branded a visit to A&E at Worcestershire Royal Hospital last Thursday (December 3) with her sick daughter as ‘horrendous’.
There was no parking available near the Emergency Department and she had to park at the far end of the site.
Her daughter, aged 15, was suffering from tonsilitis and her GP had said she would have to go to Worcester as there is not an ear, nose and mouth team at the Alex.
The teen had been ill for a week with the infection which had developed into kissing tonsils.
“I went into the main reception expecting to be able to get to A&E but there was no one at the desk and no signs.”
The frantic mum had to ask an off duty doctor who pointed her in the right direction – which involved going back outside and walking around to A&E.
Her daughter has a phobia of needles and once there needed to lie down while a canula was inserted – but there was nowhere to lie.
“She was feeling desperately ill, had been sitting on hard chairs for over three hours and vomited as the canula went in,” said her mum.
The decision was made to admit her daughter, but they then had to wait a further two hours before a bed was found for the teen – six hours after they’d arrived at the hospital.
However, the bed – which the pair were told was the only one in the hospital – was in an A&E side ward and already contained three elderly patients.
“At least it was something but children should not be mixed with geriatrics,” her mother added. “My daughter spent the night with a confused elderly lady shouting out all evening – children should not be put in this position.”
The next morning when she arrived to take her daughter home, she faced the same battle with parking.
“I can’t fault the staff – they were doing everything they could,” she said.
“I am lucky to have the luxury of a car but what will other people do? It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
A health spokesperson said: “We apologise that the woman in question feels unhappy with her experience at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. We are aware of the parking challenges and are seeking additional funding for 2016/17.
“We would welcome the woman to get in touch with us to discuss further her daughter’s experience in relation to the wait and the allocation of the bed.”
