I went to the ED with severe headache, dizziness, nausea, low blood pressure and bruising. As I have multiple health conditions and had been started on a new medication, I contacted health direct and was told to present to the ED. I did this, at about 5.45. After taking details I was told to go and sit in the waiting area. And wait. And wait. Eventually I was given a tablet for nausea and 2 panadol and told to keep on waiting. There was nowhere to lie down, so I was slumped in the chair. People were coming in with McDonalds and coffee, the smell of which was making me feel even worse. In my opinion, the staff had obviously decided that there was nothing wrong because I was left waiting longer than others, including a toothache and a non bleeding foot wound. They would only say they did not know what was wrong with me and to wait. Eventually they did give me a blanket as I was cold and shivering. And told me to wait. It was after 10 pm when I could not take it any longer. My head felt it was splitting (I told them it was worse) and I needed to lie down. I went to the desk and told the nurse I could not keep sitting there as it was not helping and I needed to lie down. She said they would get to me, so I told her that I had been waiting over 4 hours, was worse than I arrived, and just wanted to go to bed. She said I could go if I wanted, but they would eventually get to me.They told me they did not have any sort of diagnosis yet and they could not get to it if I did not stay. I got taken home in a taxi, vomited, went to bed, and slept for 13 hours, waking up nearly as bad as when I went to the ED initially. I am not bothering to go back, as I feel obviously I am not considered worth looking into, and feel that lying in bed with water is going to do me more than hours sitting upright in a chair getting worse. I still do not have a diagnosis, but I am hoping it is nothing more than some type of migraine. If they had said they would only give me a panadol and make me sit over 4 hours in the waiting room I would not have bothered to worsen my condition.
"Over four hour wait with no help"
About: Northam Health Service / Emergency Department Northam Health Service Emergency Department Northam 6401
Posted by not a happy patient (as ),
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