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Bad experience on Elective Unit

Posted By Protocol

"Bad experience on Elective Unit"

About: Tameside General Hospital / Trauma and orthopaedics

(as the patient),

Had TKR a few weeks ago at Tameside Hospital. It was a total nightmare. No complaints about Surgeon - he was excellent and my operation seems to be a success which is more than I can say about the care and dignity on the Elective Unit. It just didn't happen for me I'm afraid. My physical scars are healing but my mental scars are not. The spinal injection failed on me so I had to have a general anaesthetic so I didn't get back on the ward until 6pm. 30mins later my visitors arrived to find I had wet the bed. The nurse changed me because my daughter asked her to. That evening I was buzzing the nurse constantly because I was wetting the bed. Although the spinal hadn't worked for the knee op, I was still numb to the top of my legs so I was unable to control my bladder.

Next day was the start of my nightmare. I had the staff nurse shouting at me for not telling her I was in pain when the reason I was in pain was down to apparent medical error. So I was prescribed morphine every 2hrs but the nurses refused to wake me when the medicine was due so I had to set my phone alarm instead. I was due a dose of morphine at 5pm. I buzzed at 5pm and 5.15pm to be told by two auxiliaries each time that she (presumably the nurse) was on her round. It was 6.30pm when I eventually got my morphine and all that time I had been in agony. I felt like it was intentional to keep me waiting. This apparent bullying and humiliation went on for about 4 days. It was as though I had been sent to Coventry.

I can't forget what happened to me. I had no staff nurse or Ward Sister showing me any care at any time of my stay. Dignity just doesn't seem to exist on that ward and i think it's a farce that the unit displays a Dignity in Care award. It's disgraceful and serious malpractice in my opinion There were a couple of members of staff that were very good, especially Vicky. The others I met need to take a leaf out of her book and if not, be retrained or more aptly dismissed due to lack of care and dignity. I have posted reviews on TGH websites but have not received a response from the Trust so I have resolved to take this further to protect other unfortunate patients who may be vulnerable on that unit.

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Responses

Response from Helen Howard, Head of Patient Experience, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 9 years ago
Helen Howard
Head of Patient Experience,
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 11/09/2014 at 15:33
Published on Care Opinion at 20:48

Please accept our apologies for any further inconvenience, distress or problems that were experienced by you whilst receiving care on the Elective unit. The unit strives to maintain high standards of care therefore it is much appreciated that you have raised these concerns with us regarding your observations during your stay.

The Trust takes care to ensure that important matters such as a patients pain levels are correctly monitored and on this occasion your expectations were not met. Please accept our sincere apologies as we are disappointed that your experience has not been as positive as we would like.

We would like to assure you that since receiving your complaint every member of staff within the Elective unit will be made aware of your observations and it will be discussed at our ward meeting and divisional senior meeting.

Many thanks

’Would you like to help the hospital to improve its services further? We are currently looking for patients and carers to become involved in a development called “Patient Stories”. We want to know more about our services from the point of view of those who received them – what was good, bad, what could be improved, what should be changed. Want to know more about what’s involved? Please contact John Goodenough, Director of Nursing at

john.goodenough@tgh.nhs.uk

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Update posted by Protocol (the patient)

Although I am grateful for a response, and a positive one, I still don't feel as though I have closure. There are so many things I still need to say such as the rest of the nightmare I experienced. And it is those Staff members who were directly responsible that should be saying sorry, not just the Heads of Nursing. My family were treated abysmally too, but who knows that, and more importantly, Who cares?

I would expect a meeting with the ones involved, to understand the reason why they behaved the way they did and to hear THEM say "Sorry" to me and my family. I may, then feel that the trauma of this awful experience can gradually be erased from my mind.

Protocol

Response from Helen Howard, Head of Patient Experience, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 9 years ago
Helen Howard
Head of Patient Experience,
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 15/09/2014 at 11:53
Published on Care Opinion at 15:51

Many thanks for your latest comments. Please can I ask for you to contact me so we can help resolve your concerns?

Helen Howard Head of Patient Experience 0161 922 4652

helen.howard@tgh.nhs.uk

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Update posted by Protocol (the patient)

Would it be possible to contact Helen Howard on Friday

Response from Helen Howard, Head of Patient Experience, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 9 years ago
Helen Howard
Head of Patient Experience,
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 17/09/2014 at 16:14
Published on Care Opinion on 18/09/2014 at 09:54

Please feel free to contact me on Friday. If I am not available I will ensure a message is taken and I can return your call.

Kind regards

Helen Howard

Head of Patient Experience

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Update posted by Protocol (the patient)

I rang the above number at 3.50pm (Friday) however there was no response and no facilities to leave a message. Please advise further.

Response from Helen Howard, Head of Patient Experience, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 9 years ago
Helen Howard
Head of Patient Experience,
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 22/09/2014 at 12:52
Published on Care Opinion on 23/09/2014 at 09:30

Im so sorry I missed you on Friday. I was away from my desk. Please can you contact me again. I have made arrangements with the ward manager to meet with you at your convenience.

Kind regards

Helen Howard

head of Patient Experience

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