"Over the last three years I have spent..."

What I liked

Over the last three years I have spent approx. seven weeks on varoius wards in the City Hospital.

I have found most wards to be clean and all the staff very efficient and helpful. The food was good especially for those with special dietary needs.

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What could be improved

My only complaint is over the years I have developed a phoebia to needles due to a series of bad experiences caused by inexperienced Junior Doctors. I have tiny veins and only experienced Phlebotomists and Doctors seem to be able to take blood and insert a Canula without causing me excrutiating pain. Every time I am admitted and a Junior Doctor wants to take blood I tell them my problem and ask if a more experienced person can do it. They always say they will have one go and if it hurts they will get someone else. It seems to go up the pecking order until a senior Doctor eventually does the job. By this time all my decent veins (which are few) have been damaged and there is nowhere else available to take blood. In March I had excrutiating arm pain caused by three different Doctors trying to insert a Canula. It took four attempts. Both arms hurt for days afterwards.

Patients should not have to go through this trauma when ill. I know Junior Doctors have to learn but they should practice on willing people with good veins and respect Patients requests. I get the impression they do not like to go to their superiors and say they have failed at taking blood or inserting a Canula.