A month or so ago I took the unusual step of making a complaint against my local A&E. It wasn't an easy decision. I have utter respect and admiration for all medical staff. However, as a public speaker for dual sensory loss, I had an obligation to speak out.
The A&E department was almost empty when I arrived. I wasn't there for a life-threatening issue but was in considerable pain and had been advised by NHS 24 to attend A&E.
I waited patiently for almost 2 hours before a nurse appeared and checked my pulse, BP and other routine checks. I waited for the doctor. I waited and waited. As far as I was aware, there was only one other patient in A&E at that time. The lifespan of the batteries in each of my Cochlears is approximately 4 hours. I was dismayed when one of the batteries died. At home, I charge the batteries in a USB port on a wall socket. The hospital doesn't have the USB ports fitted.
My vision isn't sufficient to allow me to lip-read. I'm highly dependent on the Cochlears. I'm aware that the majority of Health Boards in Scotland have no training on how to communicate with hard of hearing, profoundly deaf or deafblind people.
Back in the cubical, the battery of my other Cochlear beeped in warning it was about to die. It's a terrifying undignified thing being unable to understand people and communicate with them.
I'd seen the duty Doctor talking with a bunch of nurses so approached him. I explained about the Cochlears and the fact no medical staff would be able to communicate with me. I was genuinely horrified when he suggested I could "Just go home or wait to be seen however long that took". I'm certain an A&E dept has more than one Doctor on duty. I was certain there was only one other patient in A&E at that time too. I went home in tears.
Apart from dual sensory loss, I have several other conditions. One 'Costochondritis' can, at times, mimic a heart attack. I suffer from mild heart failure too; I think it's natural and understandable if I need a bit of reassurance when I have concerning symptoms.
Anyway, I made a complaint to the Scottish Health Board. They were very understanding and asked what outcome I'd like from my complaint. I advised the pressing need for all medical staff to receive the simple training needed to learn communication techniques for deaf and deafblind people. I was assured this would be noted so dropped the complaint.
I couldn't believe it when a few weeks later I visited an out-of-hours doctor for a painful torn ligament in my right wrist. I'd self-diagnosed correctly but desperately needed something to strap the wrist to keep it from moving. As a precaution, the out-of-hours doctor advised I had an X-ray.
The A&E waiting room was busy, but the turnaround of patients was quick. There was a drunken chap sitting snoring in a wheelchair, and a scary tough-looking character with a torn knuckle and a bloodied face handcuffed to a policeman. They came and went. A stream of patients came in after me and went out again. I'd been sitting in the waiting room for 4 hours, no one else was in the waiting room other than me. One of my Cochlears beeped a warning. Finally, I was called in and went for a quick X-ray before being shown into a cubical. I waited for the Doctor to come back. All I wanted was something to strap my painful wrist up. 3am. Only one other patient inside A&E. My second battery died. A lovely Porter saw my distress and gestured to ask if I wanted a cup of tea. The Doctor didn't return, instead, a nurse appeared and handed me a wrist strap then turned and walked away without a word. For the second time ever, I left A&E in tears. The wrist strap was for a left hand, not a right one. I felt I'd been victimised. Again I spoke to the health board who claimed the Hospital didn't know my name so any issues the second time were coincidental. I'm not convinced.
Again, I was told they'd 'look into communication training". It's absolutely appalling that medical staff don't have a clue how to communicate with a section of the population. There aren't enough translators available, and not everyone knows or can use sign language. There's also the issue of foreign people, more so elderly ones, who either don't have a good grasp of English and/or are deaf as well.
I took on the legal system years ago when I discovered (at my personal expense), that people in civil courts in Scotland had to 'pay' for lip readers or sign interpreters. It took me three years of non-stop petitioning the then Scottish law lord (Jim Wallace) and endless cups of tea with him and conversations on every subject before he announced, that my three-year non-stop persistence had paid off. The law was finally changed so NO ONE would ever have to pay to hear in a civil court again. My divorce cost me £4,600 for a lip speaker, but I felt endless joy and pride in knowing I'd saved others from being forced to pay for a basic human right to communicate in court.
I gather my name is in the Scottish Law books.
No comments:
Post a Comment