"Carn Brea set the standard!"

Both my parents spent much time in HDU and MAU plus other wards this year. Sadly both died in Treliske. Whilst the care and resources on HDU and MAU are very good, I feel patients are moved to other wards or discharged far too quickly. My mother had only just started to make a recovery after very critical illness and was moved out to another ward the same day. The staff there were wonderful but I felt it was too soon for Mum to be moved. She died from C Diff plus other complications within 3 weeks having initially made good progress.

My father was in and out of Treliske and, in my opinion, was twice discharged too early. The first time to an empty dark house with no food whilst Mum was still in Treliske. After her death he was again in Treliske. He was discharged with weeping undressed legs (Cellulitus). A friend and I picked him up and we were horrified at his condition but no one was available (it was a very busy and seemingly understaffed ward)for us to voice our concerns. We had real problems getting him into the car and the journey back to his home was excruciating for him. He never really recovered properly, was readmitted and died not long after.

I know the intensive care beds are precious but it seems to me a waste of staff's hard work to pull desperately ill patients around, only for them to be moved or discharged before they are ready, therefore being readmitted again to overload the already underfunded hospital. I wish there was an intermediate ward to allow vulnerable patients to regain strength so that they really ARE well enough for the next stage. This would surely mean less readmits and more resources available.

I was so impressed with Carn Brea Ward where my dad spent his last days in the most wonderful care of Staff Nurse Mike and his incredible team. The ward was friendly and so clean. They couldn't do enough for us. We felt like Dad was their only patient. I hope as Treliske starts to regain its once good reputation as it deserves to, that ALL the wards will be like Carn Brea. My experience of the hospital which covered 6 months of this year made it very clear that there were huge differences between the wards and the attitude to patients and family!