"Hydration needed"

Following a visit to A&E I was admitted as an in-patient and ended upon Ward 15. I was discharged but re-admitted with the same condition 12 days later. In total I am on my 21st day as an in-patient, again on Ward 15.

Most of the staff I have dealt with have been excellent & very helpful but I do have an issue with the fact that patients on the ward have no direct access to a drinking water supply - We are provided with a small jug of water (hat I could easily consume within an hour) that is changed daily at 0730, if we require fresh water at any other time we have to ask a member of staff to replace the jug. This will often be done straight away but when they are busy I have frequently had to wait in excess of an hour for water.

I appreciate that busy periods cannot be helped. What I find unacceptable is that there is no drinking water supply where patients are able to help themselves to fresh drinking water. The situation is especially ironic as there is a poster in the ward entrance stressing the importance of staying hydrated, but patient access to drinking water is restricted.

Some may consider this issue to be trivial, but aside from wasting valuable staff time, it is frustrating when it goes on day after day, especially at night time when you wake with a thirst & are laid awake waiting for your water, and I do think that something needs to be done, be it a drinking water tap/fountain or standalone dispenser.