Stoke Mandeville Hospital

***ATTENTION TO THOSE WHO ARE ELDERLY OR TO THOSE WITH ELDERLY RELATIVES: THIS HOSPITAL SLURS ELDERLY PATIENTS AND PUTS ITS OWN INCOMPETENCE DOWN TO THEIR PATIENT'S AGE. THIS COMES UNDER THE DEFINITION OF 'ELDER ABUSE' *** I am absolutely DISGUSTED with is hospital. Not only did it put my father at serious risk of coronavirus infection during his last visit at the end of May (I had to contact Public Health England over this matter), but now I have had to endure lie after lie to cover its incompetence. The latest debacle comes courtesy of Dr. Johnson on ward 4. I explained that my father has been in a vicious cycle of admissions over the last 18 months due to postural hypotension and related falls. I said that whilst I appreciate that this is difficult condition to control, I am deeply worried that during every single admission, it is discovered that my father has a UTI (my father has urinary incontinence). I pleaded yet again that instead of treating the symptoms with antibiotics again, that we try and investigate the cause of these recurrent infections. I also addressed that the fact that my father has been suffering very bad constipation issues over the last 6-8 months, requiring multiple visits from the district nurse to conduct an enema to help him. I said that because of his prostate cancer history, the two symptoms would seem to warrant a check on whether or not his prostate is enlarged. I was told that his PSA levels were checked on his last admission at the end of May/June and they were in normal range. Dr. Johnson grudgingly agreed to perform an ultrasound to see if there is something underlying related to the anatomy of the bladder. When I addressed the constipation issue and what would be done about that, he told me there was no longer an issue: it had been treated successfully with senna and lactulose for the last week and the nurses recorded this on my father's notes. Having spoken to my father earlier in the day, he told me that he was still in discomfort and had only passed a small amount in 72 hours. I rang my father again to tell him what the doctor had said and he stood by his initial complaint of being unable to pass properly. I rang Dr. Johnson back, stating that my father had a different account of his bowel issues and along the line, either someone is not recording the information correctly or someone had misread it. Dr. Johnson said he would speak to the nurses about it. I also suggested that he speak to my father too. I had a phone call from Dr. Johnson 20 minutes later, telling me that he had spoken to the nurses and that my father had refused treatment for the constipation for five days and if he refused treatment, he could not ease his constipation. He said that I needed to speak to him as, I quote "I think that you're father is muddled. Being in a tent for over a week would make anyone irritable, especially an older person". Therefore, in the space of 90 minutes, my father had gone from being successfully treated for constipation because of administered medication, to suffering with constipation because he is non-compliant and muddled owing to his age. The dramatic change in Dr. Johnson's story shows that once I picked up on the discrepancies between the nurses' notes and what my father reported, a failing by himself or the nurses had to be covered in some way. For the record, my father says that he only declined the senna one night because he was in terrible pain and that he never refused the lactulose as he loves the taste!! As he regularly takes senna at home, I have no reason to doubt him. I have every reason to believe that Dr. Johnson has tried to cover his incompetence by slurring and labeling my father as 'muddled' and elderly. I wonder how he would get around doing this to a 25-year-old patient.

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You hear all the time how the nhs is under staffed and under funded but until now I never realised free how bad it was. I was referred to A&E at Stoke in the early hours of Tuesday 3rd March. With severe tummy pains. I’d already spent 2 hours in minor injuries in wycombe before I was diagnosed with suspected appendicitis and sent to stoke A&E with a letter to hand straight to staff on arrival. I handed over the letter on arrival and was told to take a seat. A nurse called me in reasonably promptly who took bloods. At this point I asked for pain relief as I was in severe pain. The nurse said she would arrange this. I’m not sure on time scales but it was well over 2 hours and numerous requests to the receptionist (who didn’t really seem to care) as to whether I could please have pain relief. It was pretty obvious for anyone to see that I was in severe pain. Eventually a nurse came out with a paracetamol drip and buscopan drip. By this time I was freezing cold and shaking. She connecting the first paracetamol drip bag and said she’d be back in 10 mins to swap the drips bags and give me a blanket. Well over an hour n half had passed before she finally came back with a blanket and apologied that she had forgot and swapped the drip over! I saw more nurses and specialists through out the night who poked and prodded through out that morning but I spent a total of over 10 hours in A&E on plastic chairs bent over in pain. During this period one of the doctor said they thought it was appendicitis and to confirm they would need to do a ct or ultra sound scan before they could proceed with surgery. He then informed me that all scanning machines were fully booked and they were considering sending me home then booking an appointment for the following day. I was flabbergasted by this and said I wasn’t happy with this. Eventually they relented and managed to free up a ct scan machine. I was taken into surgery shortly after the scan. After surgery I was informed that my appendix was abscessed and wasn’t far from bursting which complicated the surgery as the area had to be flushed to prevent infection. If I hadn’t dug my heals in when the doctor wanted to send me home there’s a good chance my appendix could have burst which is very serious and potentially life threatening. The guys in intensive care were amazing when I came out of surgery. Eventually I was moved to ward 18b. On arrival I informed the nurses I was having issues and was unable to pass water. I asked several nurses over a period of well over an hour n half for help but staff members would say they could help but then just wouldn’t come back. I was in allot of distress at this point and closed to tears! I’m a 40year 15 stone guy so this isn’t normal for me! Eventually after continued badgering and my wife getting quite animated I was eventually fitted with a catheter. Although short staffed all the staff were friendly and cheerful but clearly rushed off their feet. There was 1 staff member that really stood out as horrible. She was the nurse in charge over night weds into thurs on ward 18b. Her bed side manor was awful and she clearly wasn’t a people person. I’ve always endeavoured to be polite and always said please and thankyou. But all I ever got was a mumbled barely inaudible your welcome compared to any other member of staff who were always friendly polite and chatty. On the weds evening my bag connected to the drain tube in the wound in my belly was nearly full and I asked if I could please get it emptied. She said she would be back. An hour passed and I asked again as I was tired and wanted to sleep. There was no way to hang this bag off the bed as it didn’t have a hook so I’d been sleeping with it laid on the bed next to me. I asked for a third time but eventually gave up. I woke in the morning to find I’d rolled on the bag in the night and the tube had come apart soaking my bed in blood and pus where some of the fluid had leaked. I informed the nurse who scolded me for why it was on bed and not on the side of bed. I retorted back annoyed that I’d asked her 3 times to empty and that the bag didn’t have a hook to hang any where else. She returned to reconnect the tube and tape it up but still didn’t empty the contents!! It was finally a nurse on the morning shift who emptied the bag for me. No attempt was made by the horrible nurse to change my bed after it was soaked in fluid from the bag so I was left laying on a soaking wet bed till morning staff took over. I wasn’t well in the morning when the horrible nurse was taking my blood pressure. I informed her that I felt sick but She carried on regardless. I informed her again but there was no urgency. On the 3rd time I was maybe a bit rude and asked her to get me a sick bowl now! She was just in time getting me a bowl or I’d have puked everywhere! After being sick I was in agony. Wretching and being sick 1 day after stomach surgery felt like I was gonna pop my stitches. I was doubled over and asked if she could take the bowl please and get me another as I was still wretching but she barked back just put it on the side!! Again I was flabbergasted!! Not long had surgery ,just been violently sick and I’m in allot of pain and you expect me to get up, walk over to the corner past you to put the bowl on the side when your right next to me?? She took the bowl from me and put it on the side but sucked her teeth in disapproval whilst doing so! Luckily this was the last I had to deal with this woman thank god as the morning team took over. All the other nurses were lovely! Rushed off their feet and not a moments peace but always smiley and cheery. On leaving ward 18b I had to give 2 of the nurses a hug to say thankyou! I certainly won’t be hugging the horrible nurse! I imagined that anyone choosing a career in the health care profession would have a passion for helping and looking after people. Why this particular person chose her career path is way beyond me!!

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I was referred by my GP to the Acute Ambulatory care unit on the 23rd December 2019. The Nurses were amazing and all my observations and blood samples were taken very quickly. It was extremely busy and I noticed that they had little time for breaks but remained kind, helpful and friendly. I did have a Four and a half hour wait to see a Doctor but nursing staff did keep me informed and it was obvious that the volume of referrals was very high. I was eventually admitted to ward 10. I did feel very ill and had a very high temperature. The Nurses were lovely and exhibited a very high standard of care even though the ward was busy. I was very impressed and nothing was too much trouble. As a nurse myself I felt that the staff were a real credit to your hospital. I was a patient all over Christmas and was amazed that blood results, microbiology and other services were seamless. The doctors were great and everyone made my stay over the Christmas period more bearable. I was discharged on 27th December. I had to return the following Monday for another blood test and the Nurses even remembered my name and were lovely. I can't recall names but the staff deserve the recognition for being outstanding. I am still awaiting results but rang the unit this morning and the Nurse answering the phone remembered me and was chasing my results. Well done Stoke Mandeville, I was very poorly but felt safe and very well cared for.

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Having passed through the Accident And Emergency I was admitted and the doctor contacted John Radcliffe hospital for advice. Throughout the staff were friendly and caring and nothing was too much trouble and I was treated very well. I had to be transferred to John Radcliffe hospital which was done without delay. Thank you to all the staff

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The staff were very unhelpful, whilst waiting to be seen I was unable to breath and was taken no notice off and made to wait 6hours

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Parkinson's disease The nurses need training about Parkinson patients. Most of them in the wards haven't got a clue about Parkinson's disease. Since the older generation are living longer Parkinson is on the increase and the staff in the wards should be made aware about this disease.  Parkinson's is a serious illness which needs to be highlighted. The spasm and toe curling which Parkinson's patients experience at night are not to be taken lightly but I am afraid to say that the night staff do not respond to these patients quickly. Sometimes the bowels open up and the night staff take their time responding to the patients. The day staff and nurses in the wards are very prompt in responding to these patients as they want to impress the doctors who come on their rounds during the day. The clinical nurse in charge of the ward wants her ward look neat and tidy before visiting time but they don't realise or don't know that Parkinson's patients can't get up and go to have a shower first thing in the morning because after their first medication of the day they can't move or stand on their legs. They at least half an hour for the tablets to kick in before they can function again. I am sorry and sad to say that the staff in the wards lack the knowledge and has not being trained properly about Parkinson's disease. It is not their fault that they have not been told or had the training to deal with this disease. The hospital management should be made aware of this lack of training in nurses as well as the staff who man the desk at night so that they can deal with PD patients at night properly.

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