Charing Cross Hospital 2020-07-05 Person 4 5 0

Generally a massive improvement in frontline morale since 2003-7 when I last had breast surgery and various treatments (broken bones and sprains). The only downfall is in communications- sometimes doubled up and a waste of everyone's time. Sometimes inadequate. Great care, almost everyone is pleasant, helpful, respectful. In Oncology- Chemotherapy- some gaps in communication that could easily be filled. 1}Post portacath insertion: Called Cancer Support After Hrs a week after as rash developed. They sent me to A&E. A&E said they had no experience of dealing with this. Turns out I should have been told to take the bandages off after 2 days. They said no experience of the portacath 2}Wounds drain bottle: I ended up in A&E at midnight as I pulled the tube out. Staff had to go to the ward to get instructions (not given to me post surgery) , which are missing one small bit of info: how to refit the tube (twist.not push). Both small things but unnecessary waste of everyone's time, and stressful for me. Understandable as all are busy..but a written checklist of things to tell patients post each procedure rather than relying on memory , and a review of written instructions, would bear fruit.