"Care of the elderly"

I would like to say I have the greatest admiration for anyone working in the NHS at the present time and that I have found it very difficult to be critical of the service I have observed as a visitor. However, I feel very strongly that there has been a total lack of care in the departments of this hospital that I have encountered. I have been visiting an elderly patient in Maple Ward and then Sapphire Ward.

I can only say that I have been appalled and devastated by the uncaring, unprofessional and uncommunicative standard of care. There is no communication from any of the nursing staff; if you visit their station you have to wait while they ignore you and if they finally deign to speak to you it is surly and rude. During the 3 weeks I have visited I have never heard a member of staff speak in a caring or compassionate way to the patient (mostly they do not come anywhere near them at all). The staff member dispensing hot drinks was similarly rude and uncaring towards the patients, leaving drinks in an inaccessible place and adding to the atmosphere of hopelessness.

The café staff were unhelpful and rude and the floors and surfaces were filthy. Most concerning was the lack of care when I visited Sapphire Ward on Sunday 1st January 2017.

The patient was extremely agitated and totally distraught because their clothing was soiled and filthy, the bedclothes were in complete disarray and the patient was squashed up against the side of the bed and clearly uncomfortable. Admittedly, when I asked a nurse if the patient could be cleaned up and made comfortable this was done efficiently and without too much delay but I have grave concerns that, without intervention from visitors, these elderly and vulnerable patients suffer through their unwillingness to make a fuss, inability to communicate their needs and their anxiety through being in an unfamiliar and unfriendly environment.