"Too busy?"

My elderly father broke his knee recently and was initially on D2, where he developed an infection. He was transferred to E2 where his condition improved and he began his rehabilitation before transferring to the Cavendish. My main comments relate to E2. It was clear that, as we hear daily in the press, that there are not enough staff to meet the needs of patients. However, being as the hospital's core values were clearly displayed, I would have thought they would have been more closely adhered to. The best staff were cheerful and attentive, but sadly there was not consistency. Examples were; Dad's urine bottle being left on his bedside table or meal tray until I asked for a cradle; his bottle being taken and not returned for some time, causing him distress and embarrassment; his being left in his chair on his first day out of bed in pain for several hours as his knee brace had been forgotten; his being left in the chair for a couple of hours wanting to be back in bed but no one responding to his calls for help; my requests for updates on his condition e.g. X-Ray results being granted only through my persistent 'nagging'; the brusque or patronising manner of some nurses; his teeth not being cleaned. I am not by nature a whinge or complainer, and spent many years of my professional life dealing with rude members of the public. As Imsaid above, I fully appreciate the NHS is at breaking point, but the nurses in my family agree that the care received by Dad falls short of what they would have given even on a busy, stressful shift.