Two victims of spiking have criticised how medical staff handled their cases, saying they felt "blamed" for what happened and were refused tests. Imogen Turnbow and Saraya Haddad, both former students in Brighton, said they were denied drug tests at A&E, discouraged from contacting the police by staff there, and Ms Turnbow said a 111 operator implied it was her fault. South East Coast Ambulance Service, which runs the 111 service in Sussex and Kent, said it was "sorry to hear of these concerns" and it took them "seriously".
In 2022, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said an A&E's primary responsibility was to address victim's medical needs, rather than collect forensic samples. While in a busy Brighton bar in 2021, Ms Turnbow said she went "incredibly quickly" from being fully aware of her surroundings to waking up in a cupboard. The 24-year-old said she had "no idea" where she was and had "no feeling" in her leg.
"I am constantly questioning what happened, who was I with, where was I? I don't have the answers." The following morning Ms Turnbow said she visited the Royal Sussex County Hospital A&E department but said she was told by staff there was nothing they could do and that she should call 111. The non-emergency line then told her they would call back within the next few hours, but did not respond until the next day, according to Ms Turnbow.
Ms Turnbow said she got "quite upset" explaining the incident over the phone to the 111 service, and said the nurse told her .
