Hospitals

My husband is home now with lots of appointments and gear but it is so nice that he can relax in his own home. Nice for me,too and much less worrying. As we were leaving they put a patient with gastro in the next bed - what’s the betting half the ward will catch it? They can’t help it, there just aren’t enough beds and it would be good if they could build a lot more hospitals. I have nothing but praise for the staff who work under different circumstances and this particular mob have been friendly and pleasant. Thank goodness.

A different = difficult

Excellent news about your man.
Wishing him well, and you, too.

So glad to read that your DH is home now nanna8
Hope he makes a good recovery.

Good to hear progress.

I’m glad he’s home nanna8.

MissA you don’t have to justify what you have shared on here. It’s appalling.

So sad reading the above comments regarding such awful hospital treatment many have endured. My very elderly father was in hospital last year with pneumonia, and the treatment he received on the ward was shocking at times. I was a physiotherapist before retiring so had knowledge as to what should have been expected.
On his discharge I compiled a detailed complaint to PALS . I received a couple of calls and I no was able to vent my disgust and anger to them . They told me e verbally and in writing the steps they were going to take to rectify the issues . I do hope they do as they promise.
So please , please always complain if there is an issue , it can only help and may go towards a better NHS in the future.

I went out for a coffee, and bumped into a woman i know vaguely, or rather she came over to me and said havent seen you for ages.
I told her i hadn't been well but i felt worse when they made me better, and she said it was "such and such" ward you must have been on; was it?"

The reason she knew was that her son had been in a side room there.
So on and so forth... she complained and got back a letter of apology saying they should have done better by her son.

That was it.

MissAdventure

Sitting at a desk, scrolling through facebook whilst some poor sod rings for a bed pan which never materialises must be quite stressful, i supose.
Honestly, that is what my stay was like.

We both know what a horror parts of that hospital is like, don’t we. 😡

Yep.
My mum was on a lovely ward there, where the staff were cheerful, pleasant, and honestly did everything they could do and more.
She got better, so was moved to another ward, just until a care package was agreed, and it was horrendous!!!!!

I was in that hospital for 5 days a few years ago MissA

I came out vowing never to go back…

I feel very much the same, but have been reffered back there just yesterday.
Scary stuff!

MissAdventure

I feel very much the same, but have been reffered back there just yesterday.
Scary stuff!

Oh no! wishing you well 😘

Thanks.
They'll probably deny me admittance at this rate.

The NHS is very good with acute immediate care but falls short on after care on the ward. The whole IT system is appalling so they get things completely wrong. I once had an exasperated pharmacist come to my bedside to find out the exact medications I was on. He couldn't get clear info from the IT system or staff on the ward. Nothing is joined up which should be a basic requirement. My advice is carry an up to date prescription with you at all times and know any allergies that you have. I've had discharge letters naming medication I've never heard of and never taken. Dangerous!

I did complain to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) they have the power to investigate. PALS are very sympathetic and I do think they follow up but I'm not sure the have enough impact.

MissAdventure

Oh, i did say he died, in my post.
Sorry you seem to be so offended about the type of patients nowadays.

I'll try to do better next time, I promise

I am sorry you had such a difficult time in the hospital- there are proper routes to go down to make your concerns known.

I know.
I'm choosing not to.

I have to say I’ve been impressed with all my hospital appointments, apart from A & E. My experience was an horrible one of which last time I mentioned it on here, I was roasted.
I had horrendous pains on New Year’s Day, husband phoned an ambulance, they said it would be 1hr, then it turned into 4hrs could I get my self to A & E, I said no.
No way could I have sat on a chair for god knows how many hours vomiting.
So she phoned 111 dr & I got appointment at the 111 clinic 40 minutes later (only me there, saw a brilliant nurse practitioner) in the end the pain subsided, so went home.
Phoned my gp morning after for urgent appointment, he sent me to see gastric specialist.

watermeadow

My midwife daughter, who left the NHS in despair, summed it up as ‘Dire from day to day but brilliant in an emergency.’

My late DH had sepsis due to a ruptured gallbladder ( he was waiting for surgery) . After surgery he went to ITU, where he had the most superb care . After 2 weeks he was transferred to a ward still extremely ill needing a lot of nursing care . The only nursing care apart from medication and dressing changes was from me. No wash or change of bed linen , IV fluids running out and catheter bag full to bursting. No sleep at night as the ward was so noisy. The nurses seemed to spend all the time at the nurses station chatting. I was a trained nurse for 45 years and was so upset with his treatment. I complained to PALS when he was discharged but just got a response saying that the hospital was extremely busy and short staffed and they would investigate. I hadn’t the strength to continue as DH was so ill for months at home , I gave up .

It’s a shame Suzib50 that the nurses chat in the night like it’s 3 in the afternoon.
I was opposite an elderly lady with dementia, no nurses came her, so had to pad along to the nurses station to get someone to see to her but she was told to be quiet.
Morning shift took over, I heard them complain that the lady was ‘pissed up to the eyeballs’ their words.
I was disgusted.

MissAdventure

The poor old soul next to me shouted all night. Literally all of it.
One of the side ward patients got up all night and was agressive, shouting, coming into the ward where I was, threatening with his fists.
I had liver failure amongst other isues, and one of the main things they do is flood your body with laxative to flush out the toxic waste.

So, every night i was more than desperate for the loo, and buzzing for either a walking frame, or a bed pan.

They just ignored the buzzers, but i had a catheter, a drip, a mastectomy wound leaking pus, constant oxygen, antibiotics and a few other wires on me, all tangled and in a big lump attached to the cot sides.

They never just came.
They either shouted at me and said "come on! There's nothing wrong with your legs!"

I just couldn't get out of the bed.
It was totally humiliating.

Oh that is terrible, poor you.
Back in the day when matrons ran the wards, every thing seemed to run ship shape.
Night nurse would have a light on low & talk in whispers.
None of this bellowing down the ward.

I know how you feel suzieb50 my dad was given a blood transfusion, it was meant to be given to the chap in the next bed.
One agency nurse giving him that blood with no proper checks.
Hospital said why didn’t he refuse it, erm because he had Alzheimer’s I think had something to do with it.
We sued!

In the US, hospitals are free and all medical care is free if you are poor.