"7 day stay at North Tyneside."

I was transferred from Hexham to North Tyneside in early November as I had become very unwell and needed to be near an icu unit. Hexham was brilliant. I had to wait 5 hours to be transferred to by ambulance even though the staff put it through as a red light. I arrived at North Tyneside early hours of the morning was made to feel reasonably welcome until they quarantined me without warning and didn't tell me what was going on. This is the main factor I'm 20 years old and I was very scared and on my own away from home. I was told next to nothing about what was wrong with me, why I had been moved etc. one thing I can praise was that they let a family memeber stay in my room overnight with me when I was very ill as i couldn't do anything on my own. Despite that pressing my buzzer for assistance felt like an inconvenience to the nurses. Often they would stand in the door way and talk about me, but never too me. I was not given my paracetamol regulary, this was to keep my fever down. I asked for it when my fever began and I was left for 1hour and 30 mins before I got any by this time my fever had reached 39.9. I was often left checking on my own catheter levels and asking a nurse to empty it as many times it was almost over flowing. Considering I was in the ECU I did not receive constant care, I was very lucky to be with a family member or I think I would have not seen anyone for hours on end. I understand it is very busy and care must be given accordingly but I rarely got my medication without asking. My mother had to take me to the toilet because I could barely walk and my assistance was often ignored. I was hooked up to 2 ivs and when they had run out they would just leave them in my arms even though it made it impossible for me to move. My family work in the nhs as carers and nurses they were appauled at how little I was seen. The heart rate machine in my room would often beep on it own very loudly, when I asked a nurse if they could turn it off as i had a headache and they said they would be back. 2 hours later it was still beeping leaving me in tears with the worst headache. My mother prompted another nurse and they were very rude and told me that it would have to wait. The quality of care in the ecu is just not up to standards, however when I moved to the respiratory ward when I was considered no longer infectious they staff couldn't have been nicer. There was always someone in sight even just for piece of mind and they were happy to help and actually interested in getting you better. The doctors were always lovely and very understanding. But due to the nurses being generally negligent and rude I would not recommend this hospital at all.