"The pasties in the canteen! The ..."

What I liked

The pasties in the canteen! The cheery, 'war-time' style attitude of my fathers' fellow patients. The amusing warning sign to motorcyclists using the motorcycle park that being by the helicoptor landing pad, motorcycles may be blown over! The fact that Derriford is located directly opposite a very fine looking private hospital....look what you could have had!!

What could be improved

I had to visit my father on weekends, but not once was the information desk by the main entrance manned, I was forced to use the canteen staff to get location info. Being bed bound, my father had to use urine bottles, both full and empty ones were left on the table alongside his drinking water and food. He had no gel or other method to clean his own hands after using a urine bottle. His bedside emergency alarm failed to work when needed. It proved tremendously frustrating to him the lack of information he received or could wean out of staff, both doctors and nurses, regarding his treatment. 4 days to get a simple scan, 17 days to be transfererred to a hospital which could treat him effectively (probably an NHS problem rather than specific to Derriford). When a frustrated patient in his ward began throwing his bedding around, the nursing staff disappeared and 2 security guards came and sat in their place, I then replenished other patients water jugs as needed. The hallways and lifts gave the impression I was in a council run block of flats! Was not at all impressed and honestly hadn't realised just how dreadfully run down our hospitals have become, personally I would be extremely fearful for my personal wellbeing if I had to be admitted.