Hospital Care And Lack Of It.

[Ladywriter1968]

I know I put a post up of similar to this before but here goes again.

My Dad been in and out of hospital. But the one he goes to is reported to be the worst in the country. Thats the one he goes to for his district which he is in, lets face it, not many around that area.

On visiting my Dad today, the man in the next bed asked me to get a nurse as he wanted the urinal thing. So I had to walk around the entire ward and was no one around at all, just a cleaner. No nurses at stations, nothing. I eventually found one and they brought it over for him, and then they walked off again and he said hang on, I need toilet paper, they just gave it to him and walked off, not give him a chance really.

The hospital itself is a new building, good looking and snazzy I guess. But the staff leave something to be desired on the care really. Before I left I wanted to ask info on Dad. Again no one around, there is about 5 wards there inside this one ward. I had to walk around until I found some one, he said, the sister is busy in her office. I said well I want some information now. So then he told me he got Dads record out.

There are more staff at Dads care home then there was on that ward. I said to him, where are all the nurses, he said on a break, I said, what all of them at the same time. Any one can just walk in or out of there no problem, steal stuff and leave. None of them would have a clue. A man in another bed got out dressed himself and walked off. All the time we was there, no staff at all on the ward around.

I think their should be some one at the nursing station at all times in case of patients falling or becoming sicker or wandering off. Like that year when my Dad went missing from that place for 8 hours. and ended up on the streets.

I think the care there is at its lowest really. Rather then sister hiding in her office maybe she should be keeping eye on nurses and patients. Anyone there can also just go down the patient files on the trolley really. Walk round to the nursing station and do what the heck they wanted really.

How can I explain it. It was like a ghost hospital. Ghost being ghost nurses and doctors not around. It seems they are left to fend for themselves until its dinner time or they are actually been seen by the doctor for their conditions.

 

[tre]

When my husband was in hospital it was not good either. The ward he was in used to be mixed sexes I think- anyway it is now divided into bays for men and women but the result is that unless the staff are actually in the bay they cannot see what is going on. The nurses station is in the corridor. I am not surpried you found it like a ghost ship, from my experience it was always like this on weekends and bank holidays. I do not know whether you have visited during the working week as I did find the staffing level better then, although still not brilliant.
I felt unable to complain as I did not want to upset anyone for fear that it might lead to worse treatment when I was not there. It seemed more productive to say " I know you have an impossible workload but I am anxious about **** for my husband" as this seemed less confrontational. I do actually feel in our hospital that it was not lazy or uncaring staff but too few staff being run ragged. I am sure this is all down to costs but if an Alzheimer's patient sustains further injuries or anything else to prolong their hospital stay then the extra cost of this does not seem to be factored in.

 

[rosiek]

When Mum was in hospital she was basically ignored, she needed assistance to eat, but there was only 1 nurse and 1 assistant to 12 beds, those that shouted the loudest got help, To cut a long story short Mum, although very confused didn't want to bother them as she was aware that they were so busy so she did not ask for help when she wanted to go to the loo, result Mum's bladder got full, she got an infection and I nearly lost her, if it wasn't for a junior doctor who noticed that Mum was not well at all, well it does not bear thinking about, but... I have to say when she was moved to a 'cottage' hospital she improved no end, they had more staff... who I can say cared about their patients. I only pray that Mum does not have to go into the main hsopital again.

 

[Ladywriter1968]

Thanks for replies so far, its really disgusting isnt it, that people are treated this way, criminals are treated better in prison, they get 3 meals a day and medical attention. And when you think of some of the crimes, yet people in hospital have done no crime yet get treated like a criminal.

We visited the morning before visiting hours start because we have to come from a long way. But Dad has been in various wards in that hospital and they all seem the same. Most of the times when I have been there previous there is never anyone on the nursing station. I think I just get angry cause I think of these poor people and my Dad and when they need stuff the staff are not there. I bet people who pay for private treatment get more staff. They say NHS is free but it isnt, working people are paying for it through their taxes and NI as well. All the years people have worked and cant even get decent treatment for which they paid in for.