A man from Leiston has said a doctor at Ipswich Hospital's A&E department was "unhelpful and dismissive" when he needed medical assistance in January, leaving him "deeply distressed."
Jordan Hare went to the hospital at 5am on January 19 suffering from urinary retention.
He was seen at 6am by a doctor in the department, but he felt this interaction was "wholly unhelpful and dismissive".
He said: "In my state of distress, I requested medication to help calm my anxiety so I could effectively communicate my issues.
Jordan Hare went to the A&E department in January (Image: Submitted)
"Instead, the doctor chose to relay my situation to my mum, seeming to disregard my presence and concerns.
"His approach suggested that he believed my issues were entirely linked to my mental health, which was not the case.
"I felt my concerns about serious medical issues, including urinary retention, were not taken seriously, overshadowed by assumptions about my mental health status."
He was discharged from hospital without medical assistance, only to return home to experience severe complications that required catheterisation for ten days.
Ipswich Hospital (Image: Lucy Taylor)
This was inserted by the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital after he was found to have 1.5 litres of fluid built up.
He said: "This outcome could have potentially been addressed had my concerns been taken seriously at Ipswich Hospital.
"It is disheartening to feel that I was not listened to and that my mental health status seemed to overshadow my actual medical issue.
"The lack of support was appalling and has led to a significant deterioration in my situation, causing unnecessary distress and medical complications."
The catheter he had for 10 days (Image: Submitted)
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Ipswich Hospital, said they have received Mr Hare's concerns and have recently finished their investigation into all the issues raised.
They said the outcome is to be shared with Mr Hare by no later than April 14.
Taking to Facebook to voice his upset, Mr Hare received a number of responses from others who have also had issues at the hospital following initial visits to A&E, with one stating: "Most times I have any involvement with Ipswich Hospital it ends up with a PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) complaint".
Jordan Hare in the hospital (Image: Submitted)
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