Share review of St Mary's Hospital

St Mary's Hospital 2018-03-24 Person 1 5 0

I fell from a ladder Thursday 15 March 18 and was taken by ambulance to st Mary’s A&E IOW I badly injured my foot/ankle and waist/tummy area. I was given an x Ray for foot and told it would improve in a few days. Given co codamol ( Discovered on returning home they were incompatible with Tramadol so unable to take )I was told I could go home but to wait while a doctor fetched crutches and a foot boot ..25 minutes later a nurse told me I didn’t need them and could go. My wife took me back to A & E Saturday 17th March as I had severe discomfort around my waist and lower back area (Where I have titanium rods due to breaking my spine 3 years ago. Hospital were informed on my first visit) Given an x Ray and all clear. I was told I could increase the Tramadol dose (I’m prescribed by my GP for my original spine injury) for the pain in both waist/lower back and foot/ankle injury but to return immediately if either worsened or the foot/ankle swelling increased or was accompanied by a rash. Wednesday 21st March we returned to A&E in the evening as my foot injury had quickly become much worse with considerable swelling/rash now also up my leg and my toes had turned black. I was in severe discomfort and felt hot and nauseous. My wife tried to explain this to the registration nurse on duty but was quickly cut down by her first words “Theres a minimum four hour waiting time “ and despite reiterating the fact we had been told to return immediately with the symptoms described she just talked over her saying we’d have to wait and there was nothing she could do. Three hours later my wife became very concerned as I was in such pain I felt I was going to pass out. She explained this to the same registration nurse and asked if there was anywhere I could lie down, the nurse laughed and in a very sarcastic tone replied “ No there’s not ! When my Wife repeated her concerns she was told “I’ll get a nurse to look at him” (She said the same to another patient who had breathing difficulties later) Neither of us were seen nor did my wife hear her make the request ( My wife sat next to the registration desk) My wife took me home without being seen as only two patients had gone through by midnight and there were at least 16 others waiting. We phoned our doctors surgery first thing in the morning. My foot/leg is infected. I have been told I should not have used the Tramadol prescribed by my surgery for my previous spinal condition for this injury as they will not prescribe more when I run out prematurely !