Hospital query - unable to get any answers from staff

GustyGardenGalaxy

My mother-in-law is currently in hospital - she's pretty much bed-ridden due to assorted health issues, (she had a bad stroke some years ago which has caused her a lot of mental and some physical problems), and she now has dementia.

My father-in-law is out of his mind with stress and worry and visits her every day (she has now been in hospital for four days). However, every time he visits he does his very best to get information from the nurses and asks to speak to his wife's doctor, but the nurses never seem to know anything and the doctor can never be found.

What can my poor father-in-law do? I feel so sorry for him not being able to speak to anyone who can give him some answers.

In most hospitals is there a way to go to anyone "higher up" in order to get some information?

I'm sure that the staff are overworked, but surely the poor guy should be able to speak to somebody to get some up to date information on his wife?

I should say that this Hospital is in Wales.

katsclaws

Perhaps try and contact the Hospital's Social worker. Or PALS (Patients Liaison Services, may be called something different in Wales).
I hope your FIL gets some information soon.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Thanks very much, have done some searching and found that the Welsh equivalent is CSSIW (Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales).

pmduk

The hospital's website will have details and a phone number for people with comments, concerns and complaints.

ohmochraich

Ask to speak to the ward sister or phone reception and ask to be put through to her consultants secretary and make an appointment to speak to them! Nursing staff aren't allowed to give out test results etc so it's better to speak directly to the consultant.

ciderwithrosie_2

GustyGardenGalaxy wrote: »

Thanks very much, have done some searching and found that the Welsh equivalent is CSSIW (Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales).

I don't think this is quite what you want, not while she's in hospital and FIL isn't getting any information.


Phone the hospital switchboard and ask to be put through to someone in Patient Liaison or Patient Experience or failing that, Complaints. Explain the situation and what would help. They should be able to track down Matron or Ward Sister or Consultant and ask them to meet with FIL and answer his questions. Or, ask the Patient Liaison person to visit your in-laws on the ward at visiting time and find out what's going on.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Most helpful, thank you. I'll pass that onto my FIL.

j.e.j.

I would think he'd need to attend the ward round? That's what I had to do when my OH was ill in hospital a few years ago.

marmiterulesok

I don't know what time he visits,but unlikely to be able to speak to her doctor in the evening obviously.
He should phone or ask at reception during 'office hours' for the name of her doctor,and when would be the best time to speak to him directly or by phone.Directly is better of course.
Evenings/weekends are always difficult if you're hoping to speak to a doctor,especially if the on call doctor is not her doctor IYSWIM.Was she admitted on Friday night/the weekend?If that's the case,often it's a bit of a hiccup until she's treated by the same doctor Monday to Friday.The admitting doctor isn't necessarily the one who'll be her regular doctor.
I hope he gets to speak to the doctor ASAP and that he isn't fobbed off again.
Phoning around midday (assuming that there's a ward round in the morning) to get daily updates is also a good idea,but he does need to have that initial contact.
BTW phoning in the early morning to find out if she had a good night is perfectly all right.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Thanks very much. He's now managed to speak to the doctor - but it took some doing!

marmiterulesok

GustyGardenGalaxy wrote: »

Thanks very much. He's now managed to speak to the doctor - but it took some doing!

That's good.