"A visit to A and E Antrim Area Hospital"

I took my young son to A and E following a telephone conversation with the out of hours nurse.  We were triaged after a short time then waited over 4 hours until the Dr called us.  The Dr examined my child and said he would be given pain relief, a throat swab test and after that they would speak with us again. I thought that the pain relief would have followed next, but not so.  A nurse came after half an hour and did the throat swab test, but brought no medicine.  Some time after this my child needed the bathroom. When we returned from the bathroom we met the Dr as we were going back to our room. The doctor told us they would speak with another patient first and then would speak with us. An hour and a half later my child was very distressed.  He was sore, had waited in total almost 6 hours and was beyond it as the time was after 2am. 

 I knew that something was wrong in that no medicine had arrived and suspected the Dr had forgotten about us. With my child howling I had to leave him and exit the door and find someone to help us. I shouldn't have had to leave my child who was so upset. I saw a Sister and a nurse talking at the nurses' station.  When the Sister saw me I said we had been waiting a long time for medicine. They told me they would get some organised. After 15 minutes of so of more waiting my child was beyond all reason.  I contemplated just walking out of the hospital with him as we were having to wait yet again. A nurse then came and gave me the medicine to give my child. I was  told we could go home as they hastily did some quick obs on my son.  I asked what were the results of his throat swab test. I was told they didn't give results and how it would be the GP. They then corrected themselves  and said it was a COVID test my child had had and how it was negative. The Dr then popped their head around the door and said we were fine to go. No one explain anything about my son's condition and I had to ask the doctor which steps to take to manage his illness.

 What really irks me is the fact that there seemed to be a lack of communication between the Dr and the nurses.  Why was my child not given medicine he really needed for so long? The nurses had no idea he needed anything or else did know and had forgotten. Why was it not explained to me that my son was being COVID tested? Why did the doctor not see my son again after they spoke to another patient? It felt like they had forgotten about us. If I had not taken initiative and left the room and spoke to the Sister we might still be there so to speak. I really think the situation could have been preventable. 

The atmosphere felt toxic as well.  I could hear a very irate parent in the corridor threaten a member of staff with a solicitor about how their baby was being treated and then the member of staff was shouting back at him. It was horrible Meanwhile patients sat and waited and waited and sat.  It is simply not good enough. It was busy but it didn't seem uncontrollably busy. I feel extremely let down by my experience and feel that my child was badly let down. He came into hospital crying and sore and left the same way. I feel it was a complete waste of time.  My child had been very unwell for almost a week and had been at the out of hours a few days previously and had received steroids. I am dissatisfied with how we were treated. My main concern is that my child wasn't given the medicine he required until I had to ask for it after waiting for so long.  Secondly, the doctor didn't come to speak to us after they said they would This is simply unacceptable.  I was let down.