St George's Hospital 2017-07-23 Person 2 5 0

Last December I was admitted for a week for neurosurgery following a sub arachnoid bleed. My medical treatment and surgery were excellent however I am sad to say the ward care was inconsistent with both excellent and shocking care. When I was admitted from Darent Valley Hospital, the ward was extremely noisy with late visitors who the nurses seemed incapable of removing although it was long past visiting time. I was in great pain and very thirsty but not given analgesia or fluids until my partner eventually managed to get the attention of a doctor. I was given a CT scan which would indicate if my surgery would happen that night or the following morning. I had been nil by mouth all day and was assured that if the surgery was to happen the next day I would be given something to eat. Upon return to the ward late that evening I was told that there was no food available so I went hungry. The next morning I had a full bladder but was not allowed to use a bottle to relieve myself as the porters had arrived to take me to theatre and they refused to wait. After my surgery the nurses looking after me on the ITU were very professional but other nurses on ITU insisted upon shouting to each other across the Unit. The lights were too bright and the Unit was too noisy which I found exhausting. This environment surprised me as it is a neuro ITU with patients who are photo and noise sensitive. The nurses looking after me did their best by lowering my lights and drawing curtains. After a couple of days I was moved to McKissock ward where I met some lovely staff. Unfortunately I also witnessed some very unprofessional behaviour. One example happened while I was in a 6 bedded bay with other gentlemen all of whom had suffered strokes or other neurological impairments. I witnessed the domestic/HCA shouting at the gentleman 2 beds up to choose which cereal he wanted for breakfast. This woman was getting increasingly frustrated with him for not deciding, yet completely unable to see this patient was unable to articulate anything and was also getting frustrated. This situation was not going to resolve itself so I helped by leaving my bed, picking up the cereals and asking him if he was able to point to the one he would like. He chose cornflakes. I then suggested to the domestic/HCA that shouting was not going to achieve anything as this was a neuro ward with compromised patients and that talking calmly, slowly and clearly would be more effective. She also refused to serve breakfast to the bed bound gentleman opposite saying he couldn't have breakfast as he had some books and a newspaper on his table which were in her way. He replied he was bed bound and unable to move them and she indicated that he would therefore not get any breakfast. I quickly and easily tidied up his table and served him breakfast too. Both gentlemen were grateful and offered their thanks to me. This same healthcare worker took my order of a sandwich for lunch but come lunchtime did not offer either the sandwich or an explanation. I did not get any lunch that day. I suggest that maybe a nurse needs to be present to oversee mealtimes. There were also other incidents including the manner of my discharge from the ward home. The medical staff agreed I could be discharged but the nurse in charge would not co-operate and I needed the constant intervention of Helen Wood to facilitate this discharge. Both my partner and I are Band 7 health care professionals and we requested to speak with the Ward Manager on several occasions to raise our concerns but despite being on the ward for almost a week she refused to see/speak or otherwise communicate with us. The message we received was that she was too busy. I am pleased to report that my experience was not all bad and that I do remember a couple of fantastic caring nurses/HCA's on the ward but sadly they were overshadowed by their less than professional colleagues. Due to the nature of my brain injury I struggle to remember names but startling and shocking events stick in my mind. I am proud and privileged to work in the NHS but I am deeply disturbed by events I have witnessed on these wards.