"Communication between staff"

Following my father's inpatient stay on Hemingford ward it was evident that communication between all disciplines needs to be hugely improved. The nursing team caused unnecessary stress and upset through a lack of communication between themselves and my father, our family, the medical team working along side them and between themselves.

The medical team would tell my father he was not being barrier nursed however a few moments later the nursing team would argue the opposite. The two disciplines would not communicate and even when I vented my frustration with this, I would be shrugged off and the problem continued. As a result of this my father was restricted to his bed space for no reason, causing distress. Despite the fact the medical team told both my mother and father that no infection had been found and he could walk to the day room. The barrier nursing however continued.

When I questioned what results we were awaiting back the staff did not know. The physio was able to take him off the ward but no one else!

When his medication was given to him today he was told that the number of days next to the medication name on the list indicated when the item needed to stop being taken. Well naturally these were post operative medications for short term use.

However my mother noticed a certain medication was to be stopped after two weeks? This is taken regularly for his condition. We questioned this and the staff nurse went away to investigate. It turns out that the nurse got it wrong... The days indicated were in fact the number of days medication within the take home medication. Very poor mistake that could be costly.

My dad's other conditions were poorly managed and nebulisers were consistently given late meaning breathing was difficult. On one occasion he asked three different members of staff for these on one occasion.

I have been in senior nursing for 15 years and never have I experienced such a lack of communication, lack of empathy towards patient and their families.

The care on critical care was amazing and the nursing staff were outstanding.