"Frustrating experience at Airedale"

my partner was admitted to Airedale two weeks ago as an 'emergency 'patient with a collapsed right lung. The care on Ward 15 on the night of his admission was in my opinion extremely good. However after his transfer to ward 7 things were not as satisfactory. I have visited the ward every day for two weeks, we have been told on an almost daily basis that he is to be transferred to Leeds St James under the consultant. I am told that staff at Airedale call St James on a daily basis to chase up the availability of a bed and that my partner is classed as a 'priority' case. We were told last Thursday that he would be going to Leeds on Friday or Saturday. This did not transpire, on Sunday evening my partner was informed the consultant would be on holiday until the 21st February.

I find it hard to believe that there has not been prior knowledge to this consultant being on holiday or that he is the only doctor available at such a large hospital to deal with a patient with a lung problem.

It seems to me that someone at Airedale has not been doing the chase up correctly and I would be very interested to see the log of who and when the calls have been made to chase up the transfer.

On one occasion I called ward 7 and spoke to the Sister of the ward who told me she had not been dealing with my partner and so was not familiar with his situation - is a Sister of a ward not supposed to be informed of ALL her patients?

It seems my partner is a trouble free patient for the nurses on ward 7, he doesn't give them any hassle and needs little care compared to the other patients - but he is taking up a vital bed and resources that may be needed by someone else.

Whilst visiting these past two weeks I have picked up various surgical rubbish from the floor of the ward, my partner tells me the toilets are not clean and yesterday I had problems locating a nurse after one of the other patients took a fall.

All in all a frustrating experience especially being given incorrect information, we are trying to remain calm and courteous but our patience is wearing very thin!