To expect better care from a private hospital?

[dizzydixies]

my mum has had a terrible run of things for 5yrs now. She's been in and out of hospital for major surgery on numerous occassions, had several rounds of chemo and radiotherapy. she has received mainly excellent care from a mix of both NHS and private hospital, provided through health insurance, but it has all taken its toll on both her and my dad.

they are both 69 and he has his own health problems too but insists on being a full time carer for her at all times. taking her back and forward to all her apts and sitting waiting on her during them all - he will not budge in letting us help so we do what we can without putting his nose out of joint.

anyway, she had to have 6 lots of chemo, one every 3 weeks and we advised them to go private again. same onocologist as the NHS hospital, shorter drive, easier parking and she would have her own room where dad can stay rather than coming and going.

she had her last chemo yesterday and they haven't managed to get it right one.

first time, she wasn't home until 10pm at night as they lost her bloods.

can't remember what happened second time but remember sighing heavily and rolling eyes!

third time nurse spilt chemo onto her had and burned it - and I mean burned - huge crater sized hole eaten out of hand by it. Now I realise human errors happen but this woman told my mother it was nothing but a reaction to the tape used on her hand and basically dismissed her

fourth time they couldn't use her had due to state of it and finally get her anitbiotics to help fix it - she'll not have to get it checked by skin people too - they can't use her other arm as it is too ruined

has to now have a permanent hickman line - they never told her to keep that plugged and she didn't know she was to return every week to have it flushed

4&5th time were a nonense as well and yesterday for her last one the specialist FORGOT to send in the chemo prescription for her and although she went in for 8.30 as requested she didn't get started until well after lunch and wasn't home until after 9am

am banging my head up against a brick wall here as I feel the service they have had is utterly unacceptable and neither of them would dream of saying anything about it

Dizzy, how horrible for all of you. Unfortunately private isn't always "better". Several of my nursey friends have said they wouldn't consider private care as they have had to fix things following it. I'm sure some of it is great, but your poor mum has had an awful time. Could yo uundertake a complaints procedure on their behalf?

I can sympathise with the 'forgetting' the drugs prescription. This has happened to my brother so many times (in an NHS hosp) that in the end we've given up expectiing it to be there on time. It's especially annoying when he's being discharged, and he has to hang around for an extra hour or so for the meds to be delivered.

I would be v at the burning of the hand. Accidents do happen of course, but dismissing her concerns is not on.

As for the Hickman line, my brother has one too, and was taught how to clean it himself, so he doesn't have to go in to hospital for that. He says he prefers it because he's more comfortable and less constricted when the drugs are connected. Iirc it was uncomfortable for the first few days, and putting it in was painful, but he now jokingly refers to it as his udders.

I have done a few agency shifts in a private hospital....it was enough to realise I would never go private. Sorry to hear your story!

That is truly awful and i would definitely complain. My mum too is having chemo at the moment and although some of your complaints sound similar to hers - she is NHS not private.

I have always been lucky enough to have insurance and go private and there is no way i would put up with that considering how much they charge.

I don't know how your parents are, but if like mine then your poor mum i doubt would be up to complaining and your dad may be too drained to sort it out either. Is there anything you could do to help them? Could you write a letter of complaint for them and get them to sign it?

That is terrible and think you should complain.
Used to be a nurse and have worked in both the NHS and private. IMO private is about appearances mostly - you're paying for the nicer rooms, environment etc but the care is rarely any better. In this case it sounds a lot worse.
The consultants have a lot of power though - could you try phoning him/her with your concerns?
Sorry to hear you're going through this.

thank you all I think am just needing to vent. My parents are of the generation where not to make an issue or complain is the done thing.

when she was ill before christmas, the GP refused to come out saying it was a stomach bug and she didn't want to pass it onto the rest of the patients - eventually she was taken into NHS hosp and left for another week without a drip - having had several ops on her bowels, one already for obstruction, it shouldn't have taken an expert to realise this was not a bug but once again an obstruction, it was about 13days before a female consultant came in and kicked them all up the rear and operated on her again

the reason for going private the next few times is exactly that - for the private room. with her bowels being in the state they are she wanted to be near her own bathroom and not have to bother the 'wee lassies who are run off their feet already' and never came when she buzzed anyway - how humiliating

anyway, at that time I had a word with the GP AND the NHS hosp staff as she was driting in and out of delirum - not knowing if she was talking to us or dreaming - my dad told me at that time that by my interfering I would breaking my mothers heart making a fuss and complaining??!?

The chat I had with senior partner at GP practice was done without him knowing and they now receive EXCELLENT care from GP surgery - which frankly I think they bloody well should - not preferential treatment just proper treatment. I don't know whether or not to get involved with this chemo nonsense as it was her last one yesterday, she just wants to forget all about it as unfortunately it has not worked and she'll need ANOTHER major operation. I think by instigating something I may just aggrivate them and my brother is useful for sweet f*ck all as lazy.

sorry for ranting on

Chemo would have burnt the hand because the venflon inserted into her vein had infiltrated into tissue. Venflon should have been checked frequently throughout the chemo infusion as chemo burns are very nasty.

Some private hospitals are all fur coat and no knickers if you know what I mean. I would definitely complain to the consultant and also the Matron of private hospital.

Having worked on a nhs ward where I was the only nurse for 16 acutely ill patients, I know how frustrating it is for patients and relatives to use the call bell and no one answers it. Usually, it is because there is no one to answer it. Hope you wrote to the chief executive of the hospital about the short staffing issues in the hospital.

Your mum should definitely complain about the care she received.

thank you cheshire kitty, I know she should I just don't think she will and I find it very sad after everything she's been through this is the level of care she has received.

if she is ever in for a spell of time my dad always takes in stuff for the nurses etc, and I don't mean just a tin of biscuits he insists on a case of wine so they can all get one or the time near to christmas a few years ago he put £100 into their christmas night out kitty - all lovely gestures if they're deserved as those who DID help her and have looked after her well are wonderful its just a choice few and some major mistakes that have been unforgivable