Disgusting hospital

[Furyfurious]

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

I had 2 major surgeries last year. The first one, the nurses were absolutely lovely. Nothing was too much for them. They were kind and patient and went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable and had everything I needed close at hand, and they kept on top of my pain relief, coming frequently to ask how the pain was. The second surgery couldn’t have been more different even though it was the same department in the same hospital. The nurse who was on straight after my surgery was so grumpy, everything was a bother to her, she refused to give me any painkillers, I spent the whole night in tears with the pain. She never looked near apart from when I buzzed to tell her I couldn’t handle the pain but she still did nothing. The nurses who took over in the morning were the same. I was so very glad to get home and to be able to control the pain myself.

I had surgery this earlier this week in a private hospital. The level of care and cleanliness was outstanding, I was in ICU overnight, and in a private room the following day, the staff were amazing, nothing was too much trouble, no waiting for meds for hours on end, and the pharmacist actually came to my room to review my meds. They constantly cleaned, food was superb, meal trays removed the minute you were finished,.It couldn't be more different to an NHS hospital, I am now definitely looking into private health care.

Well given the number of mumsnet complaints about nit being able to sleep what exactly were they supposed to do?

I think that even in good times previously, there were always good and less good hospitals, usually identified by the quality of the hospita leadership.

I was taken into A&E in 2022 with acute cholecystitis. Had to have emergency surgery. I was looked after impeccably by everyone.

Shame you didn’t record it and name names -to pal if not to some other public media.
Even a crap nurse would surely be embarrassed to be named publicly.

It’s the culture.
It’s not about investment. Billions have been pumped into the NHS but that won’t address the contempt for patients that is prevalent in many hospitals.

You're kidding, right?

Medication needs to be given on schedule. Patients should be woken if they're asleep when medication time rolls around.

https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/myth-1-we-already-spend-too-much-on-health-and-our-outcomes-are-poor

Years ago had to suffer outrageous night staff in a hospital children’s ward, they were a disgrace every night we were there, and the male nurse was horrible, gruff, and unpleasant, when he came to do checks on my four year old. I was quite scared . Day staff were absolutely normal and nice.

Nursing in many hospitals has a terrible culture problem. Until we face that head on we’ll never be able to improve the nhs. I’m an experienced manager and sometimes I fancy retraining so I could go and put my skills to use!

Do complain to PALS,OP, when you’re feeling up to it. It might help you if you can just feel listened to.

The cleaning I saw was an absolute disgrace and apparently it used to be in house but is now separate companies. The window ledge and radiator thick with sticky grime and dust.
For two nights the chip that was under the bed when we arrived was still there when we left with lack lustre pushing of a broom.
Also they used to wash uniforms in house at high temps.
One nurse told me they rarely at home specially wash their uniform at a high temp.

It's become an embarrassment but worse than that it's killing us.
. This was like it before tories by the way

I agree it is a culture problem, not a money problem. Pretending every who works for the NHS is an "Angel" that never makes a mistake needs to stop.

I have experienced poor care in hospitals (although not as bad as some of the experiences on here) and always intended to complain but never did. I regret this now.

May I encourage all of you to contact PALS and formally complain. From the senior managers' point of view, "If it's not documented, it didn't happen". Also write to your MP or write an anonymous letter to your local paper.

I also agree with the poster who mentioned weak and incompetent managers as being part of the problem.

Culture is linked with funding. Try changing culture in an understaffed area with predominantly agency staff who will change in a daily basis.

My elderly grandmother was recently in hospital with pneumonia. She also has dementia. She was in hospital for a few weeks.
Shortly before the pneumonia, I had taken her to a restaurant for a meal. She was walking, chatting, feeding herself.
My God, the difference when she got out of hospital (she also got Covid while in there). She couldn't walk (they had mistakenly put her on bed rest), couldn't talk, was more confused than ever and looked dreadful.
She moved to a care home from the hospital, as that was always the plan. It's the staff there who are the true angels. They built her up again so that she could walk (she had entered the home in a wheelchair), put on weight, start talking again, etc.
It's terrifying.

I had a long spell in hospital on a few wards same hospital very different experience

one ward has reputation for being horrendous and I can confirm that’s correct

Bullshit - treating patients with contempt has nothing to do with funding.

Food does vary but unless you are in for an extended stay it won't hurt you to have basic food or get someone to bring food in. Nothing new about that, I remember taking food in for my grandmother 35 years ago! No idea what the nurses did to upset you but the nhs can hardly be blamed for the other patients.

Yes when I stayed on urology , there was a lot of elderly people who were confused. I saw them not being capable of feeding themselves and a tray being put in front of them and taking away uneaten. (I said something but nothing changed) No washing or basic hygiene taking place.
I was in significant pain and asked for a bed pan. I was told I needed to walk to the toilet as it was important to get up. So I dragged my machine to towards the toilet and collapsed mid way injuring myself as I fell. I was then made to feel like I was a bother until they checked my temperature and it was dangerously high. (Maybe 108)

And full marks to Southmead where a vulnerable older friend is currently, they cannot be faulted, amazing care, over and beyond, world class (and I've lived in the USA with good medical insurance)

Of course it does. Take it out of healthcare. In any workplace do you expect stressed, under resourced staff who don’t usually work in that workplace, and haven’t been able to build a team culture, to work well and have consistent compassion?

Building good cultures takes funding to have sufficient, consistent staffing. People upthread have rightly said that healthcare staff aren’t angels. No they aren’t, they are human and need the right environment to work effectively and compassionately.

YABU to complain about the smell of food in hospitals. That’s a minor factor.
it would be the level of care you receive that’s the important thing to consider.

I’ve stayed in hospital 3-4 nights twice in the last couple of years and it was fantastic. (St helier hospital, Surrey / outer london).

I’ve also had a stay in private hospital in kensington and it was bit OTT with menus etc and wine lists. Silly really. For me all you need is good care and warm nurses looking after you

Some of these experiences are shocking and I’m sorry that people have had to go through this.
But private healthcare is a whole different beast. The patients that go for private surgery tend to be pretty well otherwise, don’t have dementia, they don’t have serious mental illness, don’t bring their whole demanding noisy family in to sit there on phones, and they always have a nice home ready to be discharged to. If you could get private healthcare for emergency care or highly complex surgery then the prices would be extortionate.