"A great incentive to stay in good health!"

Anything else?

I was admitted via A&E. The care there was excellent allthough I did have money taken from my bag in the cubicle whilst I visited the toilet, my fault for leaving my bag but was in no fit state to ensure security of my handbag. The care on the ward was indifferent, I used the nurse call but cancelled it after 40 minutes when no one came, I sensed that the staff were completely stretched wih a high volume of dependent and elderly and confused patients. The nursing staff had no time but to carry out the most perfunctory care, they did not respond well to questions about medication and unknow injections being administered without any explanations of what it was. Have trained as a nurse I find it hard to believe that care is now something that is done to you rather than any patient involvement. I had more contact with the tea lady rather than any nursing staff, she kept me sane by actually talking to me, well I did after the first 48 hours once she realised I was there. On day two my partner had to go and advise staff that I was there after no lunch was offered. Fortunately I am not elderly and confused and would benefit from losing some weight, so no permanent damage done.! There were one or two nurses who were supportive but it was obvious that the staff were pushed to the end of their tether with resource being a major issue, the exception being the nurse who actually took the time to check her lipstick in my mirror. My urine output was being measured (supposedly) from Sarurday to Tuesday I managed to accumulate 6 bed pans in my bathroom ( I was in a side room). Clearly hygiene wasn't a priority nether was measuring the output after a severe kidney problem! The final blow came safter spending all weekend there over a bank holiday weekend, not seeing a doctor after 11am on Friday and then being told on Tuesday afternoon that I would be discharged the next day, all this without seeing a doctor. My question is why I was kept there when I could have received better care at home? All in all, I thank the medical teams for potentially saving my life but the nursing delivery really does need to be looked at, I would never willingly return to Good Hope Hospital as I found the experience distressing and degrading.