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"Ward 13 needs more staff"

About: University Hospital Of North Durham

Was admitted for an emergency groin abcess op for second time un a year due to auto immune disease and having to take oral steroids and immune suppressentso very unwell to begin with. Admitted to surgical admissions ward at 2pm after nit eating or drinking since evening before, Had a lovely friendly nurse to take details etc at furst and she was a 3rd year student, asked repeatedly when my Op was scheduled for yet nobody had a clue. Sat around all day and night starving, eventually put on saline drip as was becoming dehydrated to be told at 10.45pm my op wouldnt be till next morning. Registrar advised me the nurses would provide me with something to eat and drink. Was told 40 mins later that i could have toast or a salad sandwich. Sandwich was very dry and stale round edges. I was not offered a drink at all. Meantime a young nurse was in our 4 bed room cleaning a bed and texting on her mobile. I asked if i could please have a cup of tea to be told no i havent got time ive got loads to do and was told i was being transferred to wd.13 and they might make me one if i wad lucky!. Got to ward 13 and finally got a cup of tea at 00.30. Was basically ignored till surgeon came next morn to say i was on afternoon list for Op but as vascular list was low i had been changed to morning list. Went to theatre at around 10.30am. Theatre staff were wonderful un everyway! Got back to ward just in time for lunch so finally got fed proper and a cuppa. Ignored for rest of time. Had to keep asking when discharge would be. Never got an answer but said sometime that day. Told nurses 2-3 times my open wound was leaking/bleeding as the gauze had fell out from under my dressing, blood was soaking my clean pjs that i had to struggle into by myself. An hour later after telling the nurse again someone came gave my wound a very quick clean and stuck a fresh pad on. Was ignored again and unchecked on even after surgery and morphine. Had obs took once. After few hours asked again when discharge time was? Was told probs after tea. Tea came and went with no news so asked again an hour later. Was told nurse in charge was on a break but she would ask her in 5 mins when she was due back....half an hour later i had to limp around ward again to find said nurse and ask her also informed her my wound was leeking again and needed changed. They did that finally said i could ring and arrange my lift to come for me and they would do my paperwork whilst i got dressed again unaided. Only to be told when my lift was nearly due that they had forgot to ask docs for discharge letter and maybe have to wait an hour but couldnt promise anything!. Suprisingly i got it within half an hour. Wasnt told any info about aftercare or what i should ir shouldnt do once home. Luckily i knew from previous op. I had to ask about district nurse visit at home they said they would arrange next morn. Went home waited till late next day. No nurse came. Rang my Gp surgery. I had not been reffered. They forgot!!....

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Responses

Response from University Hospital Of North Durham 10 years ago
University Hospital Of North Durham
Submitted on 03/03/2014 at 10:07
Published on nhs.uk on 04/03/2014 at 03:00


Thank you for providing feedback on your recent visit to the University Hospital of North Durham. I am sorry to read of your concerns and would be very happy to discuss these with you if you wish, and we would look into them for you. If you feel this would be useful please contact the Trust’s Patient Experience Team on 0800 7835774. If you would prefer to contact us by e-mail, our address is patient.experience@cddft.nhs.uk Alternatively, you can write to us at the following address: - Patient Experience Team Darlington Memorial Hospital Hollyhurst Road Darlington County Durham DL3 6HX If you do decide to contact us, please make us aware that you have left comments on the NHS Choices website. The Trust is grateful for all feedback, positive or negative, as it means we can better understand what is important to our patients. Thank you for leaving your comments on NHS Choices. Patient Experience Team County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Tel: 0800 7835774

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