Day five of no hot water on hospital ward.

[AnAdultCat]

My dad is currently going through stem cell treatment in an oncology unit. They haven't had any hot water since Friday evening, he hasn't showered since Friday morning.
He is body washing with cold tap water and said he feels horrible.
The nurses have reported it and say there's no update. I've tried ringing and emailing the main hospital numbers but can't get any answers.
AIBU to think this is really bad. His immune system is currently low and he is at risk of infection, but he can't even wash his hands with hot soapy water. Does anyone have any other suggestions or advice please?

Can you do an urgent report to the CQC (OFSTED for hospitals), or an email to your MP asking them to investigate as a matter of urgency?
Failing that contact your local press, if they ring the media and communications department at the hospital you can bet that hot water will be back on quickly!

No advice, but it's bloody scandalous! Hot water on a ward should be a high priority for the maintenance team, because of the risk of infection among patients who can't bathe or shower because of no hot water.

Why can't they shower on other wards? That's what they did when the showers were out of action when I was in hospital, but that was about 15 years ago.

But this is how shit our essential services have become thanks to the austerity obsession of this government.

I wonder if PALS would be any help? I'd contact them as I've found them very useful even if it's just to point you in the right direction. That is a terrible state of affairs.

Dh works in the NHS, he says it’s starting to feel very third world. Bear in mind he trained in South Africa and worked as a junior Dr in township hospitals.

Christ isn't hot water a standard when you are dealing with infection control? Is it the whole hospital or one ward? Not that it makes any difference to your dads care.

I’m sorry to say this isn’t unusual. Complain to PALS, write a letter to the chief exec and and hand deliver it. Ask if other wards are having the same issue, as it might be a supply issues to one area of the hospital.

This used to happen a lot on one ward I worked on, and we used to take not water from the kitchen water boiler, dilute with cold and give it to the patients to wash in.

This is shocking. Your poor dad. I noticed in our local hospital a few weeks ago that the toilets I was using didn't have hot water to wash hands. Lots of hand gel around though but need hot water too. Hope it gets sorted soon. I would feel grim not having a shower especially in warm weather!

Can you speak to their infection control person. I would be seriously concerned about this on any ward. I'd want to know how the staff are washing their hands. I remember discussing hand hygiene with a nurse friend during covid and she said they were always told they should wash their hands once they'd used alcohol gel 4 times

Appalling - I’d make a big fuss, ask to speak to infection control, involve PALS, etc. I think
C. Diff is the one that only soap and water gets rid of (not alcohol gel) - ask them
their plan for when that breaks out on the ward.

Also if his phone mine system is compromised, is he in a side room?

That’s awful surely the ward should be closed I imagine with oncology patients there are lots of aseptic procedures etc and how are nurses etc scrubbing to do those infusions and meds with no hot water let alone your dad being unable to wash for that length of time! Has any one said what they are doing about it? The ward managers should be dealing with this as a matter of priority. I know mine wouldn’t allow us to be open until this was sorted out.

It is sadly true that sometimes nothing succeeds like the threat of sanctions. I would be ringing the ward one more time to say that if they haven’t contacted you with a satisfactory update by 5 pm today you will be filing a complaint with the CQC. And naming this hospital for the world on social media.

Cold water and soap is as effective for killing germs as warm water. However it isn't as pleasant and the lack of warm water significantly reducing handfasting behaviour which is why having it is so important.

Local press.

Please tell CQC: www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care

I was going to say this.

In terms of germ control cold water and soap will do the job, but it's not at all nice for the patients not to be able to have a comfortably warm wash.

See the hand washing with cold water has already been covered.

I'd definitely try PALs to see if you can get things moving on a bit quicker so it's more comfortable for the patients.

Thank you for the reply everyone. I had a call back from my email and they promised to investigate. Two hours later they had hot water. I'm not sure if that was coincidence, but I'm really disappointed it took that long!
I feel really bad for the nurses as its not their fault, but I think it was terrible. I did tweet the local paper but haven't had any response.