"ward 31 Ian Ridley (Nurse Practioner) - excellent..."

Anything else?

I was referred directly to ward 31 from my GP and received by a Consultant who was really fantastic. He and his staff were quick, efficient and very reassuring. They had my condition under control immediately and I felt much better within an hour of reaching the ward. After assessment of my condition they decided to keep me in and admitted me to the ward. My review of the ward is not so good, patients are kept waiting for hours (even days) without seeing a doctor and the lady in the bed next to me waited 4 hours in severe pain before anyone even took any notice of her. She kept asking to see someone for pain relief and fluids but no one came. There was obviously a shortage of beds and they were constantly moving people around day and night to try and make room for further patients. But at the same time there were 2 (out of 6) beds occupied by people waiting to leave but who had not seen the doctors all day in order to be discharged. one poor old lady waited 2 days to go to the eye clinic for treatment. She must have been about 80 years old. After her treatment in the morning they told her she would not be going home that day. She had two phone calls from family who told she would not be leaving the hospital that day. at 16.20 they came and told her that she would be discharged after all. She could not arrange for family to pick her up because it was too late so she waited for an ambulance to take her home to an empty house. This old lady then waited 4 hours with her coat on waiting for the ambulance to take her home.