"My Mother's treatment at Royal Blackburn Hospital"

Mum was admitted to RBH with a broken hip recently. She was examiined and xrayed and then admitted to a ward. My mother suffers with dementia and due to her illness she is incontinent. This was reported to the staff at her admission to the ward. She was not operated on until two days after admission. It was late afternoon and she was still well out of it when we vistied that night. Mum had a catheter in. When we visited the day after admission we found Mum lying on a pillow that had a very large dryed urine stain on it. Although nurses had been in to take her blood pressure and temperature none of them seemed to have noticed this. We had to go and tell the staff about this and ask for the pillow to be changed. They changed it and advised mum would be moved into the ward next door to her room.

The next day my brother visted and found my mother lying naked in a bed that was wet through - he complained and she was sorted with a pad. We visited again the same night and found her wearing a filthy pyjama top and nothing else and again was lying in a bed that was wet. I complained to the staff and again reminded them mum had dementia and was incontinent - she needed a catheter or to wear a pad. The staff were very apologetic and told me she had been on a bedpan 10 mins before we arrived. I asked if Mum was ready for discharge and was told she was. I was very releived to hear this, I wanted her moved.

The nurses changed the bed and sorted a pad on mum and one of them said she was better lying in a wet bed that having something wet against her skin!!!!!! . The also told me she was being moved the next day, it was all arranged. A couple of days later I had to again ask that my mum be provided with a pad that she was incontinent and had demetia and couldnt ask for the toilet - how many times did I need to tell them this! I was asked to provide pads for her I immediately went to the store to buy some for her. We were advised the same day by a lady in the same ward that she was being told off by the staff if she wet the bed. I am apalled by the treatment my mother has received at this hospital - what's happened to respect and dignity for people - this is something that in my experience is lacking in this place.