Disgusting hospital

Furyfurious · 2023-10-14T22:11:46+00:00

I was discharged from hospital this week following surgery and a 5 night stay at an NHS hospital. I am absolutely traumatised. What I have seen and been exposed to was totally shocking. I will definitely be looking for a Private health care policy. The Nurses attitudes, patients attitudes poor (not all ) but a shambles. The smell of the ward, the food etc sorry but there needs to be resolution

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 14/10/2023 23:13

It's the NHS....it's basic

Lonesomefetter · 14/10/2023 23:16

I have heard its gone very much downhill . I used to be a HCA on a hospital ward and tbh it wasn't perfect but seems like standards have fallen.

Notcookie · 14/10/2023 23:23

Yes I am now really scared of needing emergency treatment in an NHS hospital having had multiple traumatic stays in hospital. Not only were the staff uncaring, I was given the wrong medication, there were multiple hygiene issues including blood smears on handle of my bedside table, I was gaslighted about my symptoms, my notes were wrong, they forgot to feed me multiple times, night staff unreasonably loud - laughing at the tops of their voices, banging doors and bins, talking loudly for no reason...I could go on.

I have private health insurance but it doesn't cover everything. I genuinely get a trauma flashback when I go into an NHS hospital now.

TomatoSandwiches · 14/10/2023 23:29

@MatthewsMumFromTikTok no, there's basic health care and then there's the liability we are being exposed to which is what the op and many, many others are waking up to.

BarbDwyerHair · 14/10/2023 23:31

Seems to depend on the hospital. A relative was admitted recently and it couldn't have been better if it was private.

TeenLifeMum · 14/10/2023 23:43

When you feel well enough, send your account to pals. If things aren’t right then trusts need to know. If they don’t take it seriously then escalate it further.

sunnyseed · 14/10/2023 23:48

I went in for a procedure last year where I had been sedated and I can remember the consultant left the treatment room at the end of the procedure and the two nurses started bickering with each other like children in front of me. It was really unprofessional and I was upset and traumatised enough by the procedure I’d had done anyway.

fisherhatesgravel · 15/10/2023 00:00

Just waiting for 'it's the tories fault' posts. Never clapped for the NHS during covid, the ones I encountered just sighed when asked for anything, weren't overworked at all just acted they were being inconvenienced 🙄 HCAs were amazing couldn't say the same of the 'nurses'

Original poster

Furyfurious · 15/10/2023 00:20

That’s a good idea. I am in shock about what I saw and exposed to. Nurses behaviour in the night was terrible. Laughing, talking loudly, banging and slamming. I am still so tearful about what happened.

OP posts:

funkyspunkymonkey · 15/10/2023 00:29

I hate to tell you this, but the worst thing I have ever seen, I saw on the Ward of a private hospital. Behaviour of the nurses in charge was shocking, including the arguments with and banter by Ward staff.

They held conversations about me, which I could hear clearly, discussing my chances of survival, and when I asked them not to, they bullied me for days. They showed me no kindness or compassion. They weren’t overworked, just not very nice, managed by other not very nice people. It was a culture of bullying and covering up and not challenging when things were wrong.

It was 15 years ago and I am still traumatised. I would do anything to avoid going into a hospital and placing myself in a vulnerable position ever again.

Sallysallyu · 15/10/2023 00:31

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Watchthedoormat · 15/10/2023 00:34

Recent experience in a hospital was dreadful. Medication just left on the side if the patient was asleep.

Fionaville · 15/10/2023 01:15

It's so shocking and sad. Almost everyone I speak to, has a terrible hospital story now, me included. Its just so much worse than ever before.
Me and my family have had BUPA for years, through mine and DH employers. Which we've used a few times for various things. The difference is unreal! Unfortunately it doesn't help in an actual emergency. We still have to go to A&E and if private A&Es do exist, there's none near us. Perhaps there is a millionaire level insurance, which unlocks an air ambulance to take you to the nearest private hospital 🤔

billycat321 · 15/10/2023 02:08

Loved my stay at John Radcliffe hospital, Oxford. Was like being on holiday (except for the open heart surgery!) Great food, lovely people.

VintageTuppence · 15/10/2023 02:17

Fionaville · 15/10/2023 01:15

It's so shocking and sad. Almost everyone I speak to, has a terrible hospital story now, me included. Its just so much worse than ever before.
Me and my family have had BUPA for years, through mine and DH employers. Which we've used a few times for various things. The difference is unreal! Unfortunately it doesn't help in an actual emergency. We still have to go to A&E and if private A&Es do exist, there's none near us. Perhaps there is a millionaire level insurance, which unlocks an air ambulance to take you to the nearest private hospital 🤔

Private hospitals do sometimes have emergency departments/A&E but, in Australia at least, unless you are admitted overnight your health fund doesn’t cover you and you can be charged several hundred to a thousand dollars for the visit. This isn’t always clear until you get a bill.

Emmalin · 15/10/2023 02:22

It's always been poor ime. I genuinely got diagnosed with and treated for PTSD after a hospital stay in 2017. And both me and ds1 were dangerously ill when he was born due to multiple errors and lack of accountability. And that was during a time when Labour was pouring money into the NHS.

Obviously it's underfunded now but that aside there have been poor standards for a long time.

QueenBitch666 · 15/10/2023 02:38

It depends on the hospital. I've had several admissions including emergencies and my care has been exceptional ( I'm in Cheshire )
I even got really good vegan food
I'm sorry for your experience. It's totally unacceptable and I'd definitely complain in your situation

Mydogmybestfriend · 15/10/2023 02:42

If you can afford it get private health care it's worth it especially if you have a lot of health issues

Growlybear83 · 15/10/2023 02:47

It really does seem to vary from hospital to hospital and even from department to department. My mum had two admissions in the last few months of her life. The first time she was in for two months,including over Christmas and new year, and although the staff were so very overstretched, they were wonderful and treated my Mum really well despite her being incredibly aggressive and violent at times due to delirium. The nurses even gave her presents on xmas day.

She was admitted again in June last year after a stroke and while the previous experience had been excellent, the care she received the second time was on a completely different level and couldn't possibly have been better if she had been in a top private hospital. My mum was treated with the utmost respect and kindness from everyone we met and the nursing care was just amazing. At the time she was in hospital, Covid cases were quite high and precautions were still in place. My daughter and I both caught Covid the day before we were told that she was very likely to die within a couple of days. Again, the hospital couldn't have done more. They didn't want a scared 95 year old to end her life alone either and so moved her to a side room and said we could visit. They met us outside the ward entrance when we arrived with FFP3 masks, visors, gloves, and aprons and escorted us to my mums room, where we were able to stay overnight and then return the next day to be with her until she passed away. I'll never forget how she was treated, and I wrote to the chief executive to share our experience.

IHateLegDay · 15/10/2023 02:50

I spent 3 days in hospital this past week and it was pretty grim.
I was completely disbelieved, my notes and discharge letter were wrong, in every bed I was put in, there was blood that wasn't mine.

They did however keep on top of my pain relief and IV fluids.

I was treated like a nuisance most of the time despite the fact I was very quiet and kept my head down.
They just didn't like that my medical issue is complex so needed input from another hospital which they had to organise.
I was then discharged without any form of aftercare.
My GP was horrified when we spoke about it.

I'm going to make notes of everything when I feel well enough so that I can put in a massive complaint.

Nepmarthiturn · 15/10/2023 02:50

It's appalling and has been for a very long time. The care is what you'd expect in a developing nation, as are the health outcomes.

IHateLegDay · 15/10/2023 02:51

IHateLegDay · 15/10/2023 02:50

I spent 3 days in hospital this past week and it was pretty grim.
I was completely disbelieved, my notes and discharge letter were wrong, in every bed I was put in, there was blood that wasn't mine.

They did however keep on top of my pain relief and IV fluids.

I was treated like a nuisance most of the time despite the fact I was very quiet and kept my head down.
They just didn't like that my medical issue is complex so needed input from another hospital which they had to organise.
I was then discharged without any form of aftercare.
My GP was horrified when we spoke about it.

I'm going to make notes of everything when I feel well enough so that I can put in a massive complaint.

Also, after arriving by ambulance, I was left on a trolley in a corridor for 7 hours. It would've been longer but the A&E sister moved me to majors when I explained the seriousness of my condition.

crew2022 · 15/10/2023 03:00

I think it comes down to local management
Not all wards are busy and not all nurses are a) good at their job or b) nice people.
The image of the 'Angel' and caring nurses are wrong.
There are some incompetent and lazy nurses who thrive and impact the culture of a ward because the management is also lazy and incompetent.
Although busy and underfunded, good staff supported by good managers can manage complex cases with compassion .
I'm an ex-nurse and I don't believe it's a case of pouring money in but making sure managers are out and about supporting and coaching staff, setting the standards and escalating where they genuinely don't have enough resources as well as dealing with unsuitable staff.
But the culture at the very top also needs to be right: look at Lucy Letbys CEO and Director of Nursing.
I'm scared to be admitted and when I'm old I'd seriously consider a trip to Switzerland

YDBear · 15/10/2023 03:04

You know that bad hygiene in hospitals kills at least 5 times as many people a year as road accidents, right?

amylou8 · 15/10/2023 03:57

My partner was admitted a few weeks ago with a cardiac emergency and during the doctors strike. The treatment he got couldn't have been better, and every single member of staff was so kind to both of us. I took out private health insurance a while ago because of all the horror stories I've heard (DP can't get it as his cardiac problems are pre-exisiting) but his treatment on the NHS couldn't have been better.
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience OP and I hope you're on the mend now.