Had treatment for swine flu.

johnsmi

Hello,

myself my partner and baby had treatment for swine flu last week, our gp treated us so I suppose officially on reflection our baby was the only patient being treated at the local hospital.
We got sick first then when our baby started running a high temperature we took him to gp who sent us straight over to hospital.

Doctors and nurses were very good at hospital, asked how many in family had been sick, then they said that it falls within the criteria for swine flu and they would move us to an isolation room in the childrens ward. We were told by nurse that no way were we to come out of the room. There was no toilet in room so in fact we had to use toilet across the way that was being used by other people as well. I enquired about how we would get some food but nobody knew, so we had no alternative but to go down and get take away's from cafateria. Maybe they felt that the baby was the only patient under their care, and the only patient to have the swine flu test. The baby was offered food by the meals people but not us. Doctors and nurses were all maked up when coming into room the usual routine for this kind of illiness. If we had been provided with masks and gloves we would have used them when we were going down to cafe ..but we weren't. The only time we were provided with masks was when we were officially discharged from the the hospital, we went down on the service lifts. I did feel this was the hospital covering itself wheras on the other times when we had to get food to eat, they could say, but we told you to stay in the room.

overall with the exception of the food problem the treatment was excellant and thank God we are all getting better especially our baby.

John

macgyver

I am really sorry to hear that. Good that you all are getting better. Despite being treated good by the hospital staff, I think you did not have a fair deal.
The hospital was exposing other people at risk as well besides ill-treating you. You should definitely complain against this behaviour of the hospital especially not providing you food. Did they confirm that any of you had the swine flu confirmed or they were treating you just based on the symptoms.
Get well soon all three of you.

johnsmi

Hi,

The baby had swab tests done which confirmed it was swine flu. As we had been sick for a few days before him, its probably a fair bet to say us adults had it as well.

As stated in first post no food was offered to us parents, in fact no one seemed to know what to do about it. One kind nurse did offer me a cup of tea one day and a few slices of toast but that was the height of the food thing. It was dont come out of your room but we aint going to offer you any food.

john

1jim

I think you have posted in the wrong place...not sure how this is local money saving? maybe take it to the moaning board?

You were not a patient at the hospital your baby was, your baby was fed, you wernt. seems reasonably fair to me. Did you both need to stay at the hosiptal all of the time? how long was you baby admitted for and how long did you both stay for, could a relative have brought you food in?
Were you and your partner treated with tamiflu? if you did take this how long after taking it did you go to the hospital?
In general the standard masks are not very good, as soon as they get moist (ie pretty much as soon as you put them on) they are ineffective.
Anyway Im glad you are feeling better but the NHS can not feed all visitors/parents, as nice as that may be, with funding as it is its a choice between spending money on direct patient care and expensive treatments or the nice touches (feeding families of pts)