"Good surgical team, specialist advice..."

What I liked

Operation booked fast, consultant professional and knowledgeable, care by theatre staff exceptional

What could be improved

The ward care was awful. My father was left in pain for 2 days post operatively, when he pressed to call bell in severe pain it wasn't answered for 15 minutes, staff nurses were seen looking estate agents websites for new houses (very professional). When asked about pain specialist nurses we were told there is one who is off sick and no replacement - took 2 days to get a PCA sorted when there was no block from the existing epidural since the operation. Also the stoma nurse was on holiday seemingly with no cover!

The dirty / bloody abdominal dressing has not been changed since the operation (3 days, great for infection control) and visiting hours are like prison visiting 2 hours a day - hardly good for psychological well being of the patient when the nurses are so uncaring and rude at times. The patient felt he didnt want to bother them due to there attitude and he had to 'grin and bear' the pain as the nurses told him it was to be expected. Nobody needs to sit in agony on a hospital ward!

To top it off anaesthetic medication was left on the patients table for any member of the public to pick up.

Anything else?

Although I understand there needs to be time for procedures to take place and nursing care to be delivered but 2 x 1 hour slots of visiting is terrible for psychological wellbeing of the patient they sit there and watch the clock waiting for the next visiting hour its like prison when the bell ends to signal end of visiting. Having worked in many hospitals ive never known anything like this!