"Not enough care from some staff"

I was rushed in hospital last month because I had a very bad infection, which spread through my body. For the first few days I was not aware of much, but as I started to feel better, I started to notice little things, like other patients asking for things, like been helped to the bathroom, and sometimes they had to wait up to an hour, because the staff would come and turn the buzzer off and say they would be back, then not return so they had to buzz again. I understand they can be very busy, but you would then see them chatting. I wasn’t getting all my medication, because if something wasn’t on the medication trolley, they would say they will come back with it and it was 3 hours one day before they returned. I have 3 lots of painkillers I take, so some of the time I was having to put up with pain, where if I was at home I wouldn’t ever miss them. You can keep asking for them, but I’m not a complainer when I go in hospital, as I know how busy they are.

After I started to feel better I found myself helping other patients out, because staff make them feel guilty for small things, like passing them things (I always use cleansing gel before and after for their sake and mine). I wouldn’t let my husband complain, because I would feel uncomfortable for the rest of my stay. I complained to one of the senior staff one day, about a certain member of staff who was been very cold towards me, using swear words in front of patients when talking to other staff, and was told she was having problems at home but agreed it wasn’t fair to take it out on me.

Some staff act completely different in front of visitors but forget us patients still have eyes and ears. (I would like to say it isn’t the majority of staff that are like this, most of them are fine). I have been in hospital about 5 times this year and similar things have happened each time, and I find myself wanting to leave before I am ready. I find the care of the doctors to be fantastic and they always make you feel very comfortable.