Good Hope Hospital

My 9 year old had a bad fall at school and we were told to go to A&E. We waited there for 8 hours.

I had blood tests and there were no problems. I come every three months for a blood test to make sure everything is okay and making sure all my levels are at the right level for my medication.

I had an appointment at neurology and they told me it was a rheumatology problem not a problem with my brain. They were really good. Efficient care and looked into everything for me.

A&E was good as they referred me onto Solihull rheumatology. I was seen by them at A&E very quickly and sorted it out. I couldn't fault the care or help at all. Brilliant.

Came for a battery change in my pacemaker but I had to have an x-ray first. I had the pre-op over the phone then the procedure done today. All was fine and the staff were excellent and helpful.

Came to A&E last night and I've been waiting a long time for heart and stomach to be checked. It's very busy and you have to wait a long time.

I went straight to A&E after having heart problems. They took the GP letter and sent me straight to another department so I wasn't waiting too long.

I went for an ultrasound and was seen on time. They were very good and professional. I was there another time and they were good then too.

I had to wait 54 weeks for a gynaecology appointment to be told I know the risks of taking HRT and to make a decision. They could have told me that 12 months ago.

My 91 year old aunt who lives alone fell and broke her wrist last Tuesday morning. I phoned an ambulance at mid-day after I received this news. (She had fallen about an hour before and couldn’t get to the phone.) I cancelled the ambulance at around 8.45 pm after the ambulance still hadn’t arrived and my husband was able to get to us and take my aunt and myself to A&E. Many Ambulances there were unable to leave as they could not unload patients due to the amount of people waiting to be seen. I have no complaint with the treatment my aunt received and the staff were brilliant. But when she finally had her wrist plastered we were left in reception for just a follow up appointment, even though I had told them she lived on her own. It was still chaos in there and no one enquired if I was able to take care of her going forward. She certainly could not look after herself. I couldn’t even get a taxi as “no one available in the area” and my husband had to come back out to pick us up. After getting her home at 4.00 am in the morning I had no idea what I was going to do. I rang her GP surgery who were horrified she had not been assessed at the hospital and her GP arranged an emergency assessment which resulted in carer’s coming in 4 times a day (as apparently does not qualify for respite care) This is a great help, the downside being she is left alone overnight until a nurse arrives in the morning. This runs a high risk of her falling and causing further damage to herself. My aunt thought the ambulance wouldn’t come out to her because she was too old and I had to try and explain how busy they are but to someone in that much pain it sounds hollow. And to let her go home without her being assessed is shocking. She is unsteady on her feet, can’t dress herself now or make meals and needs help going to the bathroom and that would have been obvious by just looking at her. The system here has let her down and she, and people like her deserve better.