"Appalling, stressful, upsetting and..."

What I liked

The care given to my mother whilst in the A&E was non existent. Nothing was explained to family as to her condition or how to treat it which has led to further complications. In fact, family were relied on to do the nurses job whilst visiting. The Social Services and Occupational Therapy team were very helpful and continue to be very supportive as her condition deteriorates. It was almost as if my mother was placed in the Obs Ward as they didn't know what else to do with her and then forgotten. During her night's stay she was awoken after midnight to be told that Social Services would visit in the monring - surely they could have told her in the morning? When I arrived at 8.15am the next morning I was shocked to find all the paitents still in bed with the lights out. They'd not had a drink, breakfast or any assistant with personal hygiene. I had to assist my mother to the bathroom. Also no one had bothered to fit her collar and cuff sling which was to support her broken arm and had been left on the bed all night. I had to ask the nurse for pain relief for my mother and had to wait a further 45 minutes before it was brought to her. The nurse then was very sarcastic towards myself because she had to bring the medication - I thought that was part of her job!! In the end my mother was sent home with a prescription for which not explaination was given as to what it was treating (later discovered they are antibiotics) and no pain relief. I couldn't wait to get my mother out of the hospital.

What could be improved

General paitent care, communication with family, explaination of the paitent's condition and what complications could occurr.

Anything else?

I temped at the hospital when it first opened. It is a shame that the main objective of the managers is to meet targets as this is done at the paitent's expense.