"Fabulous team on the ward"

My previous exposure as a next of kin to the care and treatment of my mother at QUEH has not been a positive one.  The words "she will be admitted" were met with utter dread when they were uttered again in mid November.   That fear was substantiated after yet another horrific experience in the bleak acute receiving unit (with the welcomed exception of some staff) where I was met with arrrogance, experienced communication nightmares and in particular met with an utter lack of professionalism from one night duty nurse who I feel is a disgrace to the profession.  I received no information,  and my mother, who was clearly seen as an inconvenience, was left to rot again in a room with no stimulation (if you're going to keep patients for days in ARU put TVs/radios etc into the rooms) whilst her individual care needs were ignored.

Thankfully my mother was eventually admitted onto ward 7c.  The staff here are an utter contrast to those I've experienced in the past in the shambles that is Langlands and the ARU.   The staff in 7c actually care, display competence, inspire confidence, work together as a team, show compassion, treat patients as individuals and address their own needs, seek to build relationships with patients and family alike, show professionalism and respect and try to make the ward experiences as postive as they can be. 

Communication with family members actually happened, phonecalls were returned and proactivity was shown in order  to inform and include. 

It is clear that the staff in ward 7c are under enormous pressure due to staff shortages.  I was often told that the fact I was with my mother nigh on 24/7 over a prolonged period, saved the staff having to fit in general observations etc. which was appreciated by them and made things slightly easier.

It was notable that there were often more staff working under the "minimal standards" rules for public holidays than "normal" shifts.  Staffing levels at night were particularly scary. So too was the daily practice of very ill patients being dumped in the ward corridors  before a room had been vacated. It added new meaning to the phrase "here's your hat, whats your hurry" that's for sure.

And yet almost all staff, irrespective of grade or role, worked hard together to achieve what needed to be done and did so with cheer, enthusiasm, dedication and competency.  

Goodwill and loyalty to the NHS must never be taken for granted.  Those who occasionally wandered about in their maroon tops (never at night or the weekends mind) talking numbers and bed space really should take note, return to grassroots graft more often and value those diligently undertaking the work required in under resourced and under valued stressful situations on a daily basis.