"Experience with catheter"

I wish to bring to your attention my recent experience at the LUTS clinic at Portadown Health Centre, at Lurgan Hospital and Craigavon Area Hospital. This is by no means a criticism of the staff but on how to improve the service provided by SHSC Trust in the current climate of shortage of staff, long waiting lists etc. as experienced by myself.

My first comment is to say that all the staff who looked after me during my visits have been excellent with their professionalism and how they used their experience to provide reassurance and care to me.

Briefly, I had urine retention while in UK and had to have a catheter fitted. I arrived home and my GP receptionist provided me with the contact details, which I phoned and provided my details etc. I was told that I would be contacted and also receive information in post.

During the next 3 weeks I was in severe pain and phoned the contact number. I was given the standard advice of drink 2 litres of water, change the bag, you are doing well. This standard advice was not relevant to me as I was in pain and did not know how to change the leg bag.

During the 3 week period I eventually got my leg bag changed.

I had to call out of hours and CAH A&E. The Dr. gave me a prescription. A few days later, I phoned the incontinence number as I thought I had a blockage as I wasn't passing anything. I was told the standard message as above. Later that day I was in Co. Antrim and was admitted to Antrim A&E in severe pain. A new catheter was fitted and I was given a fantastic booklet entitled Urine Drainage Systems, which provided information on catheterisation, why it is necessary, what it is, hygiene, how to change the leg bag etc.

The next day I had to attend CAH A&E because the catheter came out and had a new one fitted. Again the Doctor and nurses attending me were excellent. Eventually, I received an information sheet from the incontinence department, 4 weeks after initial contact.

Having attended the appointments at Portadown HC and Lurgan Hospital, I have nothing but high praise to all the nurses attending me whom treated me with care, attention, professionalism and understanding how I was feeling and the excellent advice given. Now I was in the system, I was treated very well, attended all my appointments and eventually had the catheter removed, yipee/.

How to improve my experience.

1 After initial contact, follow up with the information sheet within 1 week.

2 Provide each patient with the Urine Drainage Systems booklet (Coloplast) which explained everything I needed to know, except the pain. (the leg bag indicated to be weekly changed, I was panicking as mine wasn't changed for 3 weeks)

3 Review the information given over the phone to include pain management, paracetamol was no good.

Once again thank you to all the nurses for their excellent care and attention.