"Excellent nursing, but plans from doctors..."

Ward C14, General Surgery

Generally excellent nursing care from a range of staff ranks, although there seems to be a higher than expected reliance on agency staff, who are generally less patient focused and, of course, have to learn the IT systems on the job.

Night time staff response is always a problem because there are so few staff.

On emergency mean other patients have to be ignored.

Doctor rounds are daily, but with very little feedback, for example a discussion on day 1 with the patient to say "We will consider doing this procedure" then becomes "We're discussing it today" on day 2 with "We discussed it" on day 3 and a plan on day 4 which then needs a few days to be organised; All this time the patient is left in limbo.

Those without symptoms a naturally anxious to leave yet can easily waste a week and then because most procedures are Mon-Fri the weekend is spent aimlessly drifting too, which of course means occupying a bed far longer than needed.

Patients need to have Doctor feedback from after morning rounds and discussions in good time so we can inform family and employers of plans.

This does not need to be face to face, but nursing staff seem unable to get the information either.

Personally I was Nil-By-Mouth for an expected morning procedure until well after lunch before we found out that the procedure had not been booked in.

I had not been IV fluids and was pretty dizzy but managed to acquire a meal just before they were cleared.

Cool chips were tough to eat but nevertheless everything was devoured.

Overall, contact care is excellent, catering is excellent, cleaning is excellent but communications from doctors is far too infrequent.

I do not wish to make a formal complaint but would be happy to discuss this further if this is useful.