"Very Little"

What I liked

Very Little

What could be improved

Listening skills and acting on information given. My father was brought into the hospital as he was unable to look after himself - he has terminal cancer and is 86 years old - he is very frail and confused. My mother had a stroke and was his main carer even though disabled - thats why he was brought.

No one bothered to check his medication even though I had listed everything on a sheet and enclosed all the medication.

the Wivenhoe Ward staff did not bother to contact me or find out what was wrong with him - he was left sitting in a chair - cold and confused and in pain - 2 paracetemol were given to him in 22 hours - no morphine - no nothing - its absolute disgrace. They tried saying he did not have any medication with him - I showed them the bag it was in next to his bed. The man in the bed opposite him phoned me to say he was very concerned about my dad and I should contact the ward as a matter of urgency. He had been up all night wandering around, packing and then unpacking and shaking. No one helped him. When I complained I got a call from a social worker on Sunday afternoon - saying the hospital did not know why he was there - I was so upset for my father. He was then moved down to Great Bentley ward - this is a holding ward only and he has received little care. Left in dirty pyjamas all day with no covers - unable to eat - he needs help with a soft diet - utterley confused and lonely with no empathy from the staff. Yesterday I arrived to find the tumour on his neck weaping a fluid - I had to ask 3 times from 4pm for someone to look at it - eventually a nurse looked at it at 5pm - took a swop but said it was too late in the day to get a Dr - they finished at 5pm. Wivenhoe ward promised to to a section 2 assessment form for my Dad on Friday, Bentley ward promised to do this on Monday eve, Yesterday it was still not done - asked why - we are short staffed - On Monday had 2 nurses and 1 auxillary for a 28 bed section!

Anything else?

They call it the caring profession - what an absolute joke - they could not care less - there is no empathy with elderley, frail and sick people, no compassion and certainly no caring. I hope to god I die before I end up in a hospital as grim as this - it feels like a workhouse!