Unsafe treatment following likely TIA
I was placed unsupervised or supported in A&E wait area following a suspected TIA on Saturday afternoon - for over 3 hrs. I arrived via ambulance at around 15.15 and was told to alert the reception staff if I felt unwell. Given the nature of my problem this was not medically safe. I was then not seen by the Stroke team until it was too late to be given the clot busting treatment recommended - despite arriving at hospital in time for this to happen. I was asked to move numerous times due to a lack of beds, chairs, etc - but there were insufficient staff to support me and I was left to wander between x-ray and a&E with no support. A nurse attempted to send me home with a cannula still attached to my arm until alerted her to this fact. I was then told I could leave by the nurse again, with no information about safety or future appointments - I was waiting alone outside when another doctor and nurse located me and asked me to remain until they had the results from my tests. The general atmosphere in A & E was one of panic, with doctors and nurses shouting at each other, police loosing people, elderly patients left without support to toilet or drink. I was told I had covid despite not having had a covid test, it turned out they had the wrong patient. While it was clear that the stroke nurse and attending consultant were doing their best in very challenging circumstances, I did not feel safe and feel lucky that I did not suffer a repeat TIA or worse as I am not sure anyone would have noticed for some time.