"Depends on the staff treating you"

What I liked

I had my son back in Novemeber 2010 and my experience at Margate Hospital is a mixed one.

Due to the length of time I can no longer remember the names of the staff who treated me but what I can say is that during the day the staff were excellent. It was obviously a busy day but the ward nurse found time to see me and there was a junior member of staff with me at all times.

After 16 hours of labour I had to have an emgergency c section, and the ward nurse stayed beyond her shift to make sure that I was OK. She really was lovely, a brilliant nurse and the care I was provided with up to this point was fantastic, in fact a first rate service.

My problems started once there was a shift change. The ward nurse from then on in, frankly didn't care. She was cold, didn't listen to me and left me in recovery with limited pain relief, which I have to say was really distressing. I was left for more than 2 1/2 hours before being cleaned after my operation. I kept asking for pain killers and the reply I kept getting was "in a minute" this went on for what felt like an eternity, but was in fact probably around 1 1/2 hours. I am no drama queen but that woman reduced me to floods of tears. She even at one point shouted at me - all the while I am laid up in a bed in pain unable to move. Only when the sweet woman came to clean me down did the nurse actually realise she had gone too far. Instead of shouting at me she then started to call me "hon" and in the presence of others was overly nice. She even offered to come down and see me on the ward the following day!

Once on the ward, although a shared ward, my treatment was again fantastic. The nurses were great, and very caring, we took down a few treats for them, and all in all I couldn't find fault with the nurses and support staff I came into contact with.

So as I say a mixed experience, and take from that what you will