Patient 'left suffering' after 'unacceptable' A&E wait
A PATIENT who faced a seven-hour wait in the Urgent and Emergency Care Centre at Rotherham Hospital with “severe knee pain” has described his experience as “deeply concerning”.
Reza Alizadeh, a 44-year-old joiner from Thrybergh, said: “I want to bring attention to the unacceptable service I experienced at Rotherham Hospital’s A&E department on February 15, 11pm to February 16, 6.15am.
“I attended A&E due to severe knee pain and was initially advised of a four-hour wait, which I accepted.
“However, as the hours passed, I was left waiting for over seven hours and fifteen minutes without receiving the necessary medical attention.
“Despite repeatedly requesting pain relief and updates, I was informed that my pain relief required doctor authorisation, yet this never happened.
“By 7.15am, after enduring extreme pain with no support, I had no choice but to leave without treatment.
“No patient should be left suffering like this, especially in an emergency department meant to provide urgent care.
“The lack of communication, delays and failure to provide essential pain management are deeply concerning.”
A spokesperson for Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are unable to comment on the specific circumstances of this patient’s experience.
“However, we do understand that waiting for a long period of time while in pain is not ideal.
“All attendees are triaged on arrival and prioritised based on the symptoms they present with.
“This means that those with the most urgent need for medical attention are seen first.
“Depending on what attendees present with, this can, in some cases, mean other patients have to wait longer.
“We ask anyone who is attending the UECC to speak to a member of staff if their pain or illness is getting worse.
“We are doing a lot of work to improve how long patients wait at busy times in the department.
“This includes expanding the UECC to provide more space for clinicians to see and treat patients, helping ensure patients are seen by the right healthcare professional in a timely manner.”
They added: “It remains important that people only attend the UECC in an emergency or when advised by a healthcare professional.”