"Level of care."

I was recently admitted to ward 53 at the Kirkcaldy Victoria Hospital. I was initially seen at the out of hours department where the service I received was exceptional. I was initially admitted to AU1 where again the care I received was excellent. Treatment was started and i started to feel more comfortable and was settled in the department.

I was then told I would be being moved up to ward 53 which I was ok with. I was taken up to the department by a porter and upon arrival was told there was no bed available. I was placed in a room within the department and was left to sit in an uncomfortable chair for over 3 hours. There was no nursing staff able to observe me in this room, there was also no call button (this was later rectified).

Once I was in a bed the level of care I received was acceptable however. I did make a point of complaining to the charge nurse regarding the issues that had happened. The conversation did become rather heated, they did however listen to what I had to say, took it on board and said they would address the issues I had identified.

Before I was discharged I overheard a conversation regarding a gentleman in the bed opposite who had been given his medication twice despite him explaining to the nurse he had already been given it, the nurse insisted he took it. One of the medications was a beta blocker so obviously the consequences could have been very serious. I did hear the nurses apologising regarding this.

To summarise I was disgusted to be left to sit in an uncomfortable chair for over 3 hours when I was as unwell as I was and also to be left unsupervised which could have resulted in a fatal seizure. I feel that the hospital is  not fit for purpose and doesn't have the capacity to deal with the number of patients.

On the positive side I would like to thank in particular the lovely charge nurse who was polite and respectful throughout and all the other nursing staff for the level of care I received.