"Lister fails on Patient and Carer Experience..."

Patient and Carer Experience Strategy 2012-15: The Strategy sets out the Trust ambitions for ensuring excellence in patient and carer experience, namely:- Ambition 1 – Improve patient experience from start to finish of their journey Ambition 2 – Improve patient experience of accessing hospital services Ambition 3 – Improve communication with patients Ambition 4 – Meet the patient’s physical comfort needs Ambition 5 – Provide patients with the emotional support they need whilst using Trust services Ambition 6 – Respect the needs of patients and recognise their individuality Ambition 7 – Improve involvement of patients and carers Since moving from the AMU unit on Christmas Eve to Ward 6A, my father in law' clinical appearance has deteriorated. He had been seeing a physiotherapist in AMU but this has not been the case on the ward. The doctors in AMU stated he needed to attempt to be mobilised, as this was the only problem preventing his discharge home. He has ulcerated legs which The Royal Free have insisted need dressing daily however his dressings have been left for up to 3 days, added to which, he now has bed sores. We asked to speak to a doctor about his care plan and were told we would be able to speak to the doctor today (29/12). Today we were left totally frustrated as no doctor was available. The doctor was bleeped and answered but would not speak to us. When I enquired as to why apparently the doctor was too busy, despite being told they would speak to us on the telephone if requested. Ambition 1 has clearly not been met as he has deteriorated after improving in the AMU Ambition 2-3 cannot be met as he is not in a position to understand what the doctors are telling him, whilst clearly, Ambition 7 failed as we were unable to 'communicate' as carers with the doctor in charge of his case, despite being informed we would be able to.