"lack of communication"

Nurse in charge of patient who spoke very little English. When discharged from hospital, next of kin not informed who subsequently turned up for a visit the day after discharge and was unable to find the relative. Asking staff for an update on patient's progress was like pulling teeth. Information was at best limited and at worst non existent. Staff nurse on G4 and one of the physiotherapists were patronising and unhelpful and downright annoying. To suggest that the surgeon had spent considerable time repairing a collapsed knee replacement and was unlikely to do it again was insulting, when all I asked was if it would be possible to make the brace pressing on a patient's femoral medial condyle could be make a little more comfortable by inserting a thin piece of foam!