"Poor night care on Huntsman 3 at Northern General"

I had a new hip joint at Northern General, on Huntsman 3 ward. The operation was a great success, Mr. Butler is excellent. All the nurses on the day shift were great, brilliant really. But the night shift was not good. When I came round from the operation I couldn't reach the buzzer and fell out of bed (I think the nurse had put it too far away, so I couldn't reach). When the nurse came she was rude and unkind to me.

Then another time at night I was sick, but I had to try to clean myself up. No-one came to help me and when the nurse did come, she just closed the curtains and left me there for an hour and a half, still covered in my own sick! I couldn't reach the buzzer and another patient went to find the nurse and apparently she was asleep in the lounge! She didn't want to take the sick away.

One day I woke up and found some pills next to my bed. I didn't know what they were or if they were for me. I asked a nurse and she didn't know. She said they weren't mine and she didn't know why they were there. She took them away to find out, but I think she was covering up.

I was going to complain, but I don't want to get involved in official things. People should know that as far I experienced there is something definitely wrong with the night staff (and one nurse in particular).

Also, people were smoking inside! I used to smoke and I can tell, I can smell it easily. At night someone was smoking on the back staircase, the other patients could smell it too!

It's terrible when one part of the team lets the whole side down. I have had great care at Northern General several times, but this was so bad. I just want people to know and for this to be better for other people.