"Dissapoining"

Admitted by ambulance I was moved in stages, quite quickly through to the A&E ward.

Copious notes were taken from me of the same information at each stage.- Name dob address, current medication, why I was there, medical procedure, symptoms, history, nothing seemed to be transmitted with me to the next stage.

Moved to Cornwallis ward where the same information was painstakingly recorded yet again.

Then...

Ward designated for women, men moved out.

Ended up in side ward at Whatman ward, Caught sight of my medicine but the bag disappeared.

Still with a high temperature and feeling quite poorly moved again within hours to make way for another female patient.

Medication now lost.

Nurse seemed to think it was OK to miss course of medication until following day. As it was strong antibiotics I insisted and in due course the medication was found (They had been trying to give it to another patient)

Come the morning I go to the toilet and I tread in some black poo and urine. Report to nurse to get new sock.

During the day the state of the toilet is again reported by myself and another patient.

Late afternoon the poo is covered by a towel.

Following day poo remains on floor the first toilet, second toilet now unsanitary.

Later in the day toilets are cleaned but the poo towel is now on one of the seats in the toilet.

Staff are unable to lock or unlock medicine in lockers by the bedside.

Fortunately mine remains unlocked.

Medication signed off in anticipation that it would be found later and administered. It is highly probable that I missed an injection.

Chap with breathing difficulties went all night without inhaler locked in his cabinet.

Wife of one patient really upset when she turned up to visit her husband.

It looked to her like he had had a stroke in the night; in any event she came upon him totally unprepared...

Co-incidentally two of us patients two of us on the ward are Fellows of the Institute of Management Services.

We found the systems in place inefficient, wasteful and ineffective, reliant only in the good will of the staff.

Ward cleaning was OK but with all the obstructions on the floors cannot be fully effective

Despite all the copious notes taken, the only way the doctors could find out the original procedure I had, and the doctor who performed it, was because I had a copy of the original consent form.

No controls/measurement on weight loss

Following my previous 5 star report I have been reluctant to write this one.

Sad also to report overheard conversation from an excellent nurse whom I quote " Best not to complain it makes things four times worse"

I am anxious to note that the above does not outpatient department of Urology. Staff in A&E and Cornwallis ward were bright and breezy and very helpful.