"Left waiting in the emergency department at Ipswich Hospital"

I attended this hospital with moderate tending (sometimes) to severe abdominal pain (I put off seeing a doctor for 3 days but the pain and nausea became worse). With a current Pulmonary Embolism,I was asked to take a seat and wait to see someone. I was given medication for nausea a couple of hours later and took my own pain relief when I could stomach it.

I waited for over 5hrs and in that time only saw 2 patients treated and most left due to the extensive wait. Some mothers had young children, a toddler and another preschool aged child both seemed so restless and exhausted in the early hours of the morning so the parents left without being seen.

I had asked on several occasions for pain relief and was told they would talk to the doctor and let me know but didn't once let me know or tell me why the wait was so long until another person asked how long it will take and a staff member replied at least an hour because we have no beds. Patients were sleeping on the seats waiting to be seen and 80% walked out.

It is disgraceful that an emergency department doesn't have the room to take care of sick people and the staff I saw apparently don't seem to care and see how people are feeling while waiting, at least letting them know what is happening.

I was hesitant to come back to this department as I waited too long last time when they didn't take my PE pain seriously passing it off as muscular pain. Something needs to change, no point upgrading the emergency department and not having enough beds all the time!