"Clinical Care Brilliant - Organisation Dreadful,"

Anything else?

I am a cancer patient that has been attending both Preston and Chorley Hospitals (also Blackburn) for about 2 years. The clinical care I have received has been brilliant but the System within which it has been delivered is Dreadful, infact some are actually dangerous.

Just a few examples I could actually fill many pages of A4 ,My latest cancer operation was cancelled at the last minute due to bed shortage, Nobody who could or would take a blood sample from a line ...In pre-op I waited 5 hours and eventually gave up, went to get my own blood bottles from another hospital and got the district nurse to take the blood sample, I was moved from my hospital bed and sat in a chair for 8 hours awaiting discharge as pharmacy could not deliver tablets.

The systems in operation in this hospital are designed to meet departmental targets and "back covering" rather than being patient centric. They cause extreme stress and are obviously wasteful.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing is that when issued raised with staff they just shrug and say "that's the NHS". While to turn around the NHS will be like trying to turn a tanker and take considerable time and effort.there are very simple measures that could be taken which are both cost effective and would significantly enhance the patients experience.

Nurses do not need lessons in caring they need systems which allow them the time to care