Disgusted at the NHS

SuziQ

I had pretty shoddy care when I was in hospital for surgery for bowel cancer in May and am due back in on monday for what I hope is the final operation. I am dreading it! I saw terminally ill patients waiting 2-3 hours for morphine,sobbing as they were in so much pain as their serum level was dropping as they effectively were missing 1-2 doses a day. My food was regularly given to someone else (I am vegetarian and needed to be on low residue) and was twice left in a chair waiting to be helped to wash,unable to get up whilst nurses went for a break-the longest time was 75 minutes.
The final insult was being discharged at 0745 hrs, having my bed taken but then waiting until 1830 hrs for TTA's (tablets to take home.) When they arrived they had only put paracetamol in there-my gastric medication and antibiotics hadn't been dispensed. An hour later the gastric tabs arrived but not the antibiotics-at this point the nurse gave up,went to the ward trolley and tipped some ward antibiotics into an envelope. I know she took a risk as I would have been sacked for that back in my nursing days-although back then the wait for TTA's was usually about 2 hrs maximum.

I do hope your mum gets well quickly and that she has no need for any further treatment,as I don't think things will improve!

Errata

Kittie - I'm not surprised it was Pinderfields. I know it well and it should have been bulldozed 30 years ago along with some of the staff.
What would I do in your shoes ? I'd go straight to the Express with the story. Only a few years ago a neighbour hung himself there and he wasn't missed off the ward for quite some time.
It's a filthy disgusting place and the standard of care is abysmal. I had a run in with Pinderfields yesterday over the care of an 88 year old gent and they haven't heard the last from me
You and your mum have my sympathy and best wishes to your mum for the future.

Bennifred

SuziQ wrote: »

......................am due back in on monday for what I hope is the final operation. I am dreading it! .................../QUOTE]

Best wishes for next week, SuziQ!

lavidaloca

Yes I have heard some horrors about Pinderfields and agree you should goto the press or some that do the undercover stories. It is a very old building but that doesn't excuse the uncleanliness etc.

My husband has had lots of treatment in Doncaster RI and they have been brilliant and it is so clean too. I complemented the cleaner on the renal ward when he was in there this year and she was really taken aback.

Wishing your Mum a speedy recovery.

olgadapolga

I am really sorry that your Mum had such an awful experience.

In defence of the NHS, they do actually get things right as well. My mum had experienced a problem that pointed to cancer. Within 10 days of seeing her GP she was having investigations to give a definitive diagnosis.

I took her in for the investigations, she was kept waiting no more than 5 minutes from "checking in" and was treated really well whilst there.

My mum (and all of the family) are incredibly relieved that the NHS system worked so well in this case; fortunately the diagnosis was not cancer but thank goodness the NHS was there when she needed it.

It's a shame that it doesn't work this well for everyone.

katym79

Like some of the previous posters, I also know Pinders pretty well and have to agree its long overdue being ripped down. Cleaning does leave a lot to be desired. Nowadays aren't you allowed to choose your hospital though? I think if it was cancer treament i needed i'd go to Jimmy's as its cancer care is outstanding. I also hear good things about Barnsley, although its a bit of a trek.
My MIL was in Pinders last year needing emergency surgery for a twisted bowel - by the time visiting was over i felt as ill as she did - its a pretty grim place. On a postive note i gave birth at Pontefract - and it was ok. Really hope your Mum gets well soon.

bank_of_slate

kittykate, write directly to the chief exectutive of the trust!
Ask if he'd be happy for his Mum to be treated that way?
Any kind of surgery is stressful enough without the added stresses that could be completely avoided.
...Linda xx

nearlyrich

Th NHS have a duty to provide care in a dignified way, they are not supposed to have mixed wards and should not treat people like cattle. It's hard to see how to sort out the bed lottery, my mum had to have surgery a few years ago and we took her in and brought her out twice because there was no high dependency bed available but third time she had the op and was treated really well. The op gave her a much better quality of life for he last two years and as it was a Neuro op the beds were taken by people who had car accidents etc which no-one can plan for. I wish the OP's mum a speedy recovery and if it had been my mum I would have written a letter of concern to the head of the trust copying our MP and reserving the media option for later if the first letter didn't do the trick.

Pssst

What do you expect? Its supposedly free so you have take take what your given. as for relatives being sent home,im afraid i would have refused. People are treated like cattle in the NHS and some staff are indifferent and/or arrogant.

ariba10

KittyKate wrote: »

She was taken into surgery at 1.15 after a 6 hour wait in a grotty, smelly, old waiting room surrounded by strangers in surgery gowns.

.

I don't know if should complain as well because each time I have gone in for surgery I was surerounded by strangers in surgical gowns