"Appalling - Ward 6"

Anything else?

My wife stayed here a week after being brought in to the hospital by ambulance. Shambolic, rude and down right dangerous is the only way to describe her treatment during her 8 day stay. Never saw the same doctor twice. When she did they were dismissive and ill informed. One even discharged her - I arranged time off, waited for the call the next day only for the next doctor to know nothing about it and my wife staying for another 2 days. Lack of staff and whilst some were really first class the over riding majority were rude and uncaring. It is an overflow ward so the equipment is old, the staff hate working there and there are no drugs! The sister would have to go and beg, borrow and steal to get painkillers and on one occasion a canular. To hear a nurse say "it is not my job to read you notes" was shocking. After a bad bleed my wife was left in the toilet and the promise of a doctor visit was not followed up. When I followed up after the handover It was as if I had asked to meet the Queen herself. I was looked at with such disdain it was as much as I could do not to lose my temper. Early in her stay she was left without pain relief and expected to make her own bed, even though she could not stand. They messed up canulars leaving my wife with bruised arms after 6 attempts, the final attempt in her upper wrist being very painful and we learnt later very dangerous due to likely nerve damage. There are many other issues I could raise - for e.g. just getting on to the ward a s visitor was terrible, the act of opening the door for me seemed to offend for some reason. Finally (and there were many other issues) when my wife collapsed there were NO staff on the ward - she was steadied and helped by other patients - the crash alarm was pressed but a patient still had to go and get someone from another ward. I was treated for a broken leg earlier in the year at the QE2 and the treatment was first class....ok the annoying lack of information (staying on Nil - by - mouth for days on end when my op was known to be postponed) was still there but the treatment and follow up could not have been better. Reporting to PALS will maybe our next step but I am sure this has been done before and look at the difference that has made! Frankly, anyone spending a few hours on this ward would see for themselves how bad it is...one senior doctor did and read the riot act...it made a difference for a day but was not followed through. Either fund and fully open ward 6 or shut it down and advise the medical team on how they need to manage patient's care.