Share review of Scunthorpe General Hospital

Scunthorpe General Hospital 2021-07-12 Person 1 5 0

The first responders who came to my address did not treat me with respect, kindness or compassion. My boyfriend was in shock over the fact I’d just had what he believed was a seizure for the first time ever so he struggled to give exact information on me. I have been diagnosed with autoimmune hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome and severe fibromyalgia. He told the first responders about my fibromyalgia and how I’ve had episodes of passing out from exhaustion which leave me unable to talk or form sentences (I refer to this as fibro fog). One of the responders told my boyfriend that it’s not real as her daughter has fibromyalgia and doesn’t get that. Fibromyalgia has such a wide spectrum of symptoms and effects everyone differently. I don’t remember a lot of what happened because of how tired and out of it I was (my boyfriend can back up the following), but I do remember them slapping me in the face repeatedly, pinching my ear incredibly hard, asking me why I was crying when they took my blood pressure and told me to stop moving my arm (my boyfriend tried to explain it’s because I’m so sensitive and the machine was hurting me), telling me off for not speaking to them when I was conscious and telling me to stop closing my eyes (I get very bad light sensitivity but couldn’t explain this). They said I was choosing not to talk or move and was just being difficult and putting on a poorly face. They pulled me up onto the edge of the sofa to put my shoes on and I was so weak that I slid off the sofa. They got angry at this and said what am I being silly for and I should get up. My boyfriend helped me to the stairs and I slid down on my bottom. At the bottom of the stairs he helped me up and was helping me walk to the ambulance. The responders told him to stop touching me as I could walk on my own, despite my legs being in excruciating pain. Once in the ambulance, my boyfriend was pulled aside by one of the responders and asked if he thought I was faking to get out of the argument (my boyfriend and I were arguing before I passed out). He said of course not and explained that I’ve been struggling with my mental health. We soon set off and the responder in the back with me tried to sympathise saying she’s fed up of arguing with her partner at home as well and suggested I’m fed up. I had tears streaming down my face and managed to get out ‘I’m so tired’. I slept for some of the ride to the hospital however the journey was very bumpy and I was being thrown around corners to the point the responder in the back was struggling to stay seated. Once at the hospital, there was a long wait until I was taken into the hospital and no one told me what was happening or what to expect. I’d come round a bit at this point and was more alert but still very tired and was keeping my eyes closed as much as possible. Once inside I was left with no communication for a good 20-30 minutes. My blood pressure was taken again which caused more crying and pain (I understand this needs taking but I was shown no compassion as the nurse said very little to me). I could hear people talking around me and I heard them saying my dad was outside and the responder said ‘I told him not to come you should tell him to sod off’. I understand during this time it’s unsafe to have so many people in the hospital however, in my state I would’ve benefited from having someone there with me, able to explain what was going on with me as I couldn’t explain myself. I was then moved to another room and told to get onto a different bed and was then left alone again for 20 minutes with no communication. I had some more vitals taken (ecg I think as well as blood pressure). While they were sticking the ecg tabs to me a male doctor was shouting over the curtains to the nurse seeing you me about another patient, he then opened the curtain with no warning while my top was up which made m very uncomfortable as I was exposed and not prepared. I was then seen by a lady (not sure if doctor or nurse) who asked me what had happened and checked my nerve responses. I managed to talk a bit to try and explain but struggled a lot to form my words. She said she doesn’t think it was a seizure I had but never explained what else it could’ve been. She then asked one of the nurses in the room to get some blood from me, give me some paracetamol and help me to the toilet as I was bursting. I had to make my own way to the toilet (it was only a few metres away however I was struggling to walk) and then make my way back to bed without even a glance from the nurse. Another 20 minutes passed and the nurse got my bloods and gave me paracetamol (I’d asked for that as well as naproxen as that’s what I take at home but I only got paracetamol). I was then left for what i think was an hour and I tried to sleep however there were lots of other patients moaning out in pain and shouting for help with no response from any nurses or doctors. This was very distressing for me and the noise as well as the bright light caused me to develop a very severe headache and I was unable to rest. A nurse then came to take my blood pressure again, very few words were spoken and she was quite rough with how she was handling me, pushing me from my side onto my back. I heard nurses dispersing about me when swapping shifts (I’m assuming) and said I hadn’t had a seizure but again I didn’t hear their alternative theory as they whispered it, presumably saying I was faking the whole thing. When my blood results came back after another hour I was told everything was normal and a doctor would be here soon to discharge me. I was then asked a few minutes later to move from the bed to a chair so they could put a gentleman, who was moaning very loudly in pain, onto the bed I was just occupying (i later saw him with his trousers down on the bed as they didn’t keep the curtain closed, this was not pleasant). I was sat next to a lady who was consistently moaning in pain and asking for help saying she couldn’t take it anymore and was going to pass out. I sat with my eyes shut and my fingers plugging my ears as it was all too overwhelming for me and causing my headache to get worse and me feel as if I was going to pass out. It took a long while for anyone to react to this lady but they finally moved her (after she was left alone in the toilet for 10 minutes while I could hear her moaning in pain in the toilet). Another 15 minutes went by until a doctor came and told me I was fine and could leave so I should contact someone for transport. My dad was still outside so I told him this. I then said I didn’t know the way out. He walked off very quickly telling me to follow him while I struggled to keep up because of my painful legs. He briefly pointed at a door and said through there follow the arrow to reception. I followed the arrow and could not find my way out, I could feel myself panicking as I just wanted to leave. I was walking past rooms completely open with people inside half naked with injuries on display and I felt everyone was staring at me while I was trembling and crying unable to find the way out. I managed to find a nurse and asked the way out and the doctor who had discharged me was stood with the nurse and took me to the door he pointed to. It was the wrong door so he took me back to where I’d just walked to (I was doing this still in excruciating leg pain struggling to walk), pressed a green button and said there you go. I thought the door would open automatically as often that’s what the buttons do but he then snapped and said ‘open the door then’. I opened the door and was then in a big reception. I still didn’t know where the exit door was however thankfully my dad was in reception and came over to me. I burst out crying and he helped me get outside to the car where I continued to cry into his arms telling him I was trapped and couldn’t get out. I was hysterical. It was the worst experience I have ever had in my life and I am absolutely disgusted with the way I was treated. I was there for almost 5 hours, made to feel like I was making the whole thing up and absolutely nothing was wrong with me, I wasn’t told what was going on and no one spoke to me with compassion apart from the female nurse/doctor who did my observation and asked what had happened. The distress this has caused me is unbelievable and I never want to have to call an ambulance for myself again to avoid ever being in that awful situation again. I have already faced so much judgement living with this invisible disability. I’ve been told my condition is fake and it’s all in my head, which has caused me to be reluctant about going to the doctors for anything, in fear of being told there’s nothing wrong with me and I’m being stupid. This has applied that fear. I was not listened to, understood, respected, taken seriously or considered in any way shape or form. I was neglected and it is not good enough.

Literally everything!!!