"Missed bowel obstruction"

Hi , I have over many years had a range of experiences at Sale Hospital - mostly these have been ones where I could rave about the genuine caring nurses that i had contact with and the bits that were not 100% were always made up by the professional care I or my family/loved one received.

Recently, however I have had a very different experience and the nurses that did provide excellent care can not make up for the disrespect and dismissive attitude of ED doctors and triage nurse.

I have been attending with my friend who has been experiencing extreme abdominal pain , diagnosed through ED as bowel cancer after a more than six hours sit in a chair episode in the waiting area in extreme pain and at one point was almost sent home had i not text and suggested my friend ask for a CT scan. Then on a further presentation again in extreme pain my friend was again sitting in the waiting area - moaning in pain - they had been seen and not offered pain relief - what occurred next was frightening - i requested a bed , pain relief a CT scan and the surgeon to visit. I was also told by the staff member behind the triage desk that they knew because they were a nurse - how distressing it is to see a loved one in so much pain and no-one doing anything. I was told that there were lots of emergencies present and i stated that just because we did not arrive in an ambulance did not mean we were not an emergency.

Finally and then quickly a bed , pain relief and kind nursing care was offered.

Unfortunately despite my request for a CT scan as I suspected a bowel obstruction only an X-ray was done. ( not sufficient level of care given the known history and presentation) the Dr stated he heard normal bowel sounds and i said i did not care what he heard she needed a scan. My friend was sent home - two days later - excruciating pain and a return to ED - a bowel obstruction was found following a CT scan. Emergency surgery the next day to remove the cancer and we are back on track. Why are carers seemingly not listened too ? why do loved ones not get the respect and care they deserve ? why are things so simply missed leaving everyone in distress and what I believe to be life threatening situations? The ward staff and surgeons are great but ED, in my opinion, is a joke.