Absolutely desperate - elderly parent in hospital, can't get an answer from the ward!

[A580Hojas]

How many times do I try? I've rung 4 times this evening. The phone rings and rings and then someone hangs it up!

I both do and don't blame staff for not answering the phone - I do, because it makes life impossible for families and patients (and incidentally for other clinicians), and I don't, because staffing is so desperate atm. Whatever the situation, this isn't good enough.

If you do ever get through, ask if there's a ward cordless phone that you can ring, and also ask if someone can just stick your mum's phone on charge, it's not rocket science, they will have plenty of lost property chargers on the ward.

I have to say that I would assume that your number and message will disappear into the void. Keep ringing. 10am is the classic time to ring but everyone does so at that time.

Claaaaaaaap for the NHS 🙄

Sometimes when I phone the hospital wards (which I do most days for my job) a patient answers the phone... 🙄

I would recommend emailing PALS with an informal complaint (at this stage), they won't ignore it, they will look in to it and try to improve the comms for you. Sometimes there is a form to complete on the Trust's website.

I emailed PALS while my father was in hospital incommunicado (and we later found being treated abysmally), a doctor friend emailed them on my behalf with proper medical terminology and understanding of the correct procedure. They simply did not reply.

Email PALS, and copy the CEO and your MP.

i hope you are able to take the charger to her somehow op, put your mind at rest.

Please do contact your MP. The government really need to be held accountable for the mess they have created.
We've got wards so understaffed there is only 2 nurses on shift. For 35 patients.
Its impossible to give patients the care they need and deserve with this level of staffing.

I hope your mum is OK OP

If it’s still happening today email pals. We used to ring and just be told ‘he’s comfortable’ which was meaningless and clearly didn’t even know who he was! We had no idea what was going on and we’re desperate. After multiple days of this we contacted pals who had a doctor ring us and talk through everything and we were given the direct number and name of someone who was involved in his care who could update us

Even my dad was admitted at the end of December it took 3 days before we managed to speak to someone. That was with 3 of us taking 2 hours shifts trying to phone and DB down as having health POA. Dad had delerium and was incapable of phoning us or answering his own mobile. When I collected his stuff after he died 1 slipper, 1 hearing aid and his call alarm pendant este missing. He had umpteen admissions in his last 18 months and every time we had the same communication problems and not once did all his possessions come home.

Sorry your going through this op, when my dad was in hospital we couldn't get through to the ward either . They only time anyone managed to speak to someone, was when they phoned to say my father had died.

i imagine they dont have ward clerks any more due to infection control

Ward clerks are daytime/weekdays only.

are they even there though @LIZS

If she has been left without water / pain relief and is elderly, then ring your local Adult Social Services department and ask them to launch a section 42 safeguarding referral. Even if ASC decide not to pursue it, their calls to the hospital for the initial information gathering may be enough to prompt the ward staff to take note.

@MrsLargeEmbodied

are they even there though *@LIZS*

They were 18 months ago and have seen ads for our local hospital.

@A580Hojas

Thanks for all messages. She would have eaten a proper dinner if she could sit up, she was hungry. I am so hurting for her. When I finally got through to the ward this evening I asked the nurse who has just taken over her care (she's been in for 24 hours now) how I was going to find out about her care plan or speak to a doctor who is looking after her and they told me to phone again in the morning. I left my number but will it be noted down, will anyone phone me? I doubt it. What a shambles.

Do you have a Power of Attorney for her care? If not, when this is over please get one in place whilst you can.

What you are describing here will be echoed by a great many adult children of elderly ill. For us it was the only stick we could wield to make a hospital talk to us before sending a seriously ill (terminal illness) 90 yr old to an empty, isolated house with no support.

After days of trying to get the consultant "leading care" to update me (or frankly anybody to talk to me) I found the magic words "I'm her legal PoA call me" resulted in a call from the "far too busy" consultant within 15 minutes. Interestingly the first sentence they uttered was to check the PoA was active and that they had to talk to me.

The ward admin, occupational therapists and those much further down the food chain did try to be helpful but could do and say very little without the consultant's say so. I think this is partly what made me so angry about the whole situation - it was the top dollar lead of the department who was bloody useless and put my relative at risk.

I have spoken to Mum twice today. She was out of bed and given some breakast (1 slice of bread and marmalade). She was taken for a scan of a leg to check for blood clots. She has a catheter in. She had a bowel accident (first time ever). She says she still has not seen or spoken to a doctor about her care but appreciates what the nurses are doing for her. I have spoken to a nurse looking after her but she can't tell me much more than I already know. I am still too sick to visit.

That’s something, OP, that you’ve been able to speak to her. I hope things improve.

Thank you Woollystockings!