"Scutari revisited?"

Scutari revisited? Following a fall my husband was admitted to the James Paget hospital on 22nd May 2014. I do not believe that I have ever been in a public building in the UK that exhibits the level of squalor found in this hospital, unbelievable in the 21st century in a first world country. I believe that most UK veterinary clinics and hospitals are cleaner and in better repair. The cubicle in the accident and emergency had a dirty floor,walls, cracked floor coving and the coving edging strip was rimed with dirt. The splash back on the hand basin was stained with water marks. I have no idea what was on the trolley frame, either blood or faeces? Cracked coving will harbour bacteria. Uncleansed trolleys, walls and floors also are reservoirs of bacteria. When moving to the X ray dept and the EADU ward the corridors were grimy, with an unwashed tidemark on the outer edges. The walls are dirty scratched and have areas of missing paintwork. The floor covings were again cracked and in some cases torn away from the wall. Most of the ceiling lighting panels are covered in dead insects. The EADU ward was rather chaotic. A nursing assistant took an MRSA swab from my husband although I pointed out that the dirty conditions of the hospital probably meant that it was a waste of time. I realise that junior doctors work very long hours. I prefer to see doctors smartly dressed rather than looking like a down and out who has slept in his clothes. I am unsure whether inserting a catheter into the penis of a patient is appropriate on a public ward. The patient was screened by curtains but this painful procedure could be heard by all. Staff chewing gum and not answering the ringing telephones added to the disorganised feel of this ward. Returning to the hospital on 18.30 I found my husband being moved to Ward 15. I commented on the filthy state of the hospital to the smartly dressed porter. He agreed with me. The white board above the bed on Ward 15 was ringed with black grimy ink where the marker has been rubbed off onto the wall. I wonder why no one thinks it appropriate to clean this wall. There was also old blutac and missing paintwork exposing the plasterwork. Again I should not have to stress that these are bacteria reservoirs. My husband found the bathroom on this ward has ants coming out of the drain.He told the nurse whose response was “yes we have had those before”. The front entrance has door mats dotted with chewing gum. Spitting chewing onto a floor is a filthy habit but leaving it in place condones this practice. So, member of staff who did this, either you live in comparable squalor so you don't notice the dirt or you care little for your patients and the local community