Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department

The emergency service is a shame! Our health system is a shame—a pregnant women yelling in pain in the waiting room with everyone else for like 3 hours. The triage people are careless and rude, they don't communicate well. They don't have space for high-priority patients. You ask for follow-up they ignore you. I could see a group of nurses talking with free time in the back and not wanting to assist patients suffering with pain in the common waiting room. 40 minutes to get pain relief - I would have gone myself to the pharmacy to help my wife. One nurse clearly with no experience to take blood. The list goes long. I know is hopeless to comment on google but at least a place to have a say.

I have been experiencing pain in my ear, which has resulted in a headache since yesterday. Despite taking ibuprofen, the pain has worsened, and I have not been able to sleep. I tried booking an appointment with an after-hours service, but they are fully booked, and I do not want to wait in the emergency department for hours. When I arrived, I was in so much pain that I could not even speak properly, and I felt exhausted. My husband had to answer questions from a nurse, who was rude and unkind to us. She even talked loudly in the lobby, insinuating that I was pretending to be sick. I can walk, but that does not mean I am not in severe pain and unable to speak. The nurse demanded to see me and refused to talk to my husband. I feel miserable, sad, and angry because of the pain and the nurse's behavior. It is unacceptable for a healthcare professional to be unkind to a patient, especially when they are in distress. I hope that one day she experiences the pain I am feeling and is treated with the same rudeness she showed me. Some people like her should not be nurses.

I learnt a lesson it’s actually a place where you can go to when you are about to stop breathing or you have already got chopped off your body parts. My daughter and I have just been to the paediatric and got back home at 3am after our 7 hour wait. Yes the nurses and doctors there were all amazing, caring and professional (although I was laughed at with a bit of ridicule by a young nurse when I asked for some moisturiser for my almost bleeding hands HA…!). I do appreciate and hats off to their hard work, their care and service they provide. But unfortunately the system seems to be dead for non-dying patients. My child with a flu A with a neck pain was told to go to ED by a doctor the night before. At the second visit, she only had little fever when we arrived (we were told to go back there after our first visit where I should have said no). When we left there, the fever obviously went up to 39 degree plus. We went back to the paediatric within the day as the operator/the triaging nurse told us to. The first visit was good as we were able to see a doctor straightaway. The staff there were all very caring and professional. But with the second visit, with almost the same staff, exactly the same treatments with 7 times longer wait. I got very anxious if we can really see a doctor. Now my child is suffering with a massive fever at home until the paracetamol and ibuprofen they gave her start to kick in. Although the staff was great, it’s very sad that we can possibly NEVER go back there again. I feel the it is demeaning making patients have such a bizarre totalling 8 hour waiting game experience that can make you sicker… It is very sad and unfortunate. Can anyone change this whole sad system? Or is it a good idea for Emergency Department to put a big sign saying something along the line of “Patients with almost no breathing or with limbs chopped off only” then it’s very clear cut who can go there?

I went to new depertment of emergency with very unwell 3 years old yesterday. They took him straightway. We spend there 5hours all up but that was because they wanted observe him more. We stayed in the room with the bed. He had intense tummy pain. All doctors and nurses we get to meet during that time were just amazing!! Treat my son so well, I cannot thank them enough. Everybody is highly profesionals, patient and very welcoming. I hope we are not going back any time soon but if we will i know they will take great care of my child. Thank you❤

I am a Chinese with poor English expression skills, but their team must be enthusiastic and have a very good service attitude. Let's cheer for your medical team!

If u hav between 5 to 8 hrs keen to waste it time isNot value for you than visit this place on a Saturday night they performe case by case and if I have fever n cold u be probably seating all night frustrated…. Better to see your gp during day time and hav a good night sleep… but hey the buiding is new and surrounding is clean… seems they are understaff and over worked, visited this place on 3/6 and waited 13 hours just for a script… yes this is a scanerio here….I hope someone important reads my comment here I don’t know to cry or be happy for 13 hours I stayed here

My little one had a fall and we ended up in the ED. I’m truly thankful for the kindness and care the nurses and doctors showed. She was treated with respect and kindness throughout. From triage through to the nurses and doctors, they were all calm and patient, even though she struggled to communicate through feeling both nervous and sore. They went the extra mile during treatment playing YouTube videos, blowing bubbles and talking to her to help keep her calm and distracted while disinfecting, gluing and dressing her wound. I’ve been to this same hospital before and experienced a much longer wait, as that particular time wasn’t as much of an emergency (I had pain, but there was no bleeding or imminent risk). I was seen to 6hrs later, so the wait was a long one, but the staff were wonderful.It’s probably worth noting that this is an ED, and therefore emergencies or cases more urgent will take priority. In terms of a young child that was clearly upset and sore, she was seen to swiftly so honestly no complaints with either of my visits so far.