My father had a terrible experience for one month at Hinchingbrooke. All the norms of good care were flouted and we were let down by everyone at every stage of his care- from the consultant who re-prescbed the drug he had an adverse reaction to, to the ambulance driver who asked me for directions to another hospital on my phone. I will be taking further action because although the hospital 'appears' clean and organised, nothing could be further from the truth. The hospital only survives because the patients and families do not know what care they should be receiving. My father has severe dementia (like at least half of the people on the ward he was on - not the dementia ward), he was sedated without consultation of the family (attorney for health and welfare), he was restrained by being put on an air mattress(I heard the nurses saying 'give him an air mattress so that he does not get out of bed') and also being tucked in, he was not encouraged to walk, he was given a catheter for the duration of his stay although he doesn't need one and this has caused permanent damage, he developed bedsores and lost 10kg in three weeks. The nurses did not have training in dementia and there is no geriatric psychiatrist in the hospital - remarkable when 1 in 4 people in hospitals suffer from dementia. He was deemed 'medically fit for discharge' but actually had a negative blood test that showed an infection and needed antibiotics. We had to project manage all the people we had to liase with and do the work of the nurses in the hospital. More than 'not recommend' this hospital, I discourage you from ever going here.
"Terrible experience - will be taking further..."
About: Hinchingbrooke Hospital Hinchingbrooke Hospital Huntingdon PE29 6NT
Posted via nhs.uk
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