Poor triage at front door
I was suffering chest pains and to avoid ambulance delays my wife drove me to A&E. I described symptoms to a triage nurse at the front desk, and was sent to wait with a hundred other people in the waiting area. Two hours later further triage led to a blood test and ECG, and I was told that I was having a heart attack. At length I was blue-lighted to Papworth where a stent was fitted and care was excellent. Doctors at WestSuffolk, ambulance staff and medics at Papworth all queried why I was made to wait so long before receiving care after arrival at the hospital. This could easily have compounded my condition. There was some suggestion that it was a mistake for my wife to drive me there, that had I arrived by ambulance I would have been treated more rapidly. But how long would I have waited for an ambulance? The key problem was really poor triage at the front desk. There was one area of efficiency at West Suffolk - they sent a customer feedback form promptly after 24 hours!