What I liked
I stayed in the hospital for two days (one night) and was very happy with the way I was treated. The staff seems to work under quite a lot of pressure but the whole system still seems well-organised most of the time. The doctors who did my surgery and the nurses looking after me were all friendly and professional. Also I want to say a special thank you to the health care assistant in the ward who, outside the normal mealtimes, instead of just bringing me the normal snackbox, actually made me some lovely toast and tea. It was very kind of her, and I agreed with her that some of the food (crisps) in the snackbox was quite unhealthy! (Why are people given crisps in a hospital??) The ward receptionist was also very helpful when I was picking up my sick certificate.
What could be improved
I was not fully happy with the consultant to whom I was referred and who I met a few months before my surgery. He was friendly but didn't seem like he had actually read through my case and was just stating some obvious facts which I had already been told over a year ago. What he told me was quite the opposite of what I had been told by other doctors. It is frustrating that even with specialists (not even to mention GP's) every doctor has a different view of your problem. Of course they often cannot be sure and it is ok if they say "your case could be like this, of it could be like that". However they usually don't explain too much, just make a quick conclusion. At the end I went to the sciencedirect website to find some review papers about my problem, just to find more information.
Anything else?
I was very happy with the way I was treated in the ward. However, I do wonder if the elderly people always get treated as they need (this is a problem everywhere and I don't think the UK is an exception). The point is, I am young, can hear and see well and didn't have big problems with moving around or eating even straight after my surgery. But how about elderly people? Do the staff always speak to them loudly and clearly enough? When food is brought to them, does anyone help them into a comfortable sitting position and bring the food near enough so that they can actually eat? If they don't eat their meals does anyone find out why? (Hence malnutrition of elderly people in hospitals is common, especially since they may already come in malnourished). I am not saying I saw elderly people treated badly in UCH, I just think this is a point worth raising in every hospital, especially after seeing what a large amount of different staff, who often don't work together, treat the patients.
"Friendly and professional staff, felt like I was..."
About: University College Hospital University College Hospital London NW1 2BU
Posted via nhs.uk
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