I would like to bring to your notice our experiences at the Princess Royal University Hospital A&E.
My husband had an operation to remove his prostate at Guy’s hospital. Unfortunately his catheter got blocked and he had to attend our local A&E. Each time he had to wait in pain for hours to be seen.
On the last occasion after finally being admitted into A&E we were left alone and when a nurse finally arrived, her exact words were "well you can wait and see a doctor but it could be another five hours."
My husband is in his 70s and was in pain and bleeding but we found it quicker to get a bus and train to Guy’s where his was admitted onto a ward within the hour.
I went to A&E at the end of July with a perforated bowel and again the long wait when you are in pain is awful. I was sent home less than a week later but had to go back to A&E to be admitted again a week later, again discharged after a week and had to return to A&E to be admitted yet again a week later.
Each time I have had to wait in pain for hours to be seen. I am home now and the thought of having to return to A&E fills me with dread.
The experiences have left us both shell-shocked and I find myself crying at the memories.
Once you get to see a doctor things are fine but A&E is just not working. The unit is so overcrowded it looks like a scene from hell.
With the amount of housing going up in Orpington and Bromley things can only get worse.
We are desperately in need of another A&E unit.
Kathleen Lucken
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