"Recent Stay in hospital "

I became ill at the end of 2012

I had diarrhoea (which looked like porridge) was not eating or drinking. Over the next two weeks I tried unsuccessfully to be admitted to hospital each time being discharged fron A&E with tablets which actually made me worse. By now I had lost over a stone in weight I could not walk or even lift a cup of tea due to weakness.

I was finally admitted to hospital after a friend refused to leave the doctors surgery until some action was taken. I was finally admitted to hospital where I spent one week on intravenous drips and another just resting waiting on tests being done to ascertain what was wrong ( these tests were eventually done after my release)

During my stay I witnessed an 80 year old lady who was left on the toilet seat for 45 minutes ( she had fallen asleep) meanwhile the staff on duty were discussing their holidays. Another incident left the elderly patient with her tablets for three hours waiting on water.

The food I was served was terrible and most of it went in the bin. The water jugs were filled with luke warm water (when questioned about this the staff asked what do you expect its an NHS hospital) If you did not want your medicine you did not have to take it. The toilet on the ward was cleaned once a day, it was disgusting.

You could not get an extra blanket if you were cold. You hardly saw any staff after 9pm but you could certainly hear them. Drips that should have been taken out hours earlier were left in over night.

I felt as if I was going to die and after my release had nightmares about having to go back in.

I was eventually diagnosed.

I thought nursing used to be a caring profession and granted there were a few who really cared but it seemed that the majority of staff I came into contact with were just there for the money saying that they would have to register for the Nurses Health Bank to subsidise their wages to allow them to go to Australia and buy bigger houses.

Bring back the Matrons.