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Not really supportive

Posted By Between-the-bridges

"Not really supportive"

About: South West Acute Hospital / Emergency Care and Medicine Services

(as a service user),

It is sad that when a patient - who is at their most vulnerable when they are ill, irrespective of their age - is expected to not be able to bring a carer into ED department. In this instance there was not an overcrowding in the area. There is in my opinion a mistake in considering a well relative/carer who is there to help represent a patient a "visitor". 

My relative was not allowed to assist me. Despite the fact that they explained my hearing difficulty and my resulting problem understanding accents. It creates a challenge which I do not feel is needed. 

Nobody represents themselves well while ill... it adds vulnerability and insecurity.

Care should be considerate. 

I wish this were not necessary.

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Responses

Response from John Kerr, Emergency Nurse Practitioner SWAH ED, Acute Services Emergency Care, WHSCT about a year and a half ago
John Kerr
Emergency Nurse Practitioner SWAH ED, Acute Services Emergency Care,
WHSCT

assess and treat

Submitted on 21/01/2024 at 10:50
Published on Care Opinion at 10:50

Dear Between-the-bridges

thank you for using this platform to voice you opinion about a recent experience you had as a patient at our department.

I am sorry to read that you experience fell below what both of us would expect. There a number of factors involved in the decision making process, such as infection control and fire safety, to name but two, that are considered when allowing relatives/visitors into the department. It is at the discretion of the Nurse in Charge to make these decisions. I appreciate it can be somewhat frustrating and appear uncaring, however we have to think of every-bodies safety and well-being. It is not our intention to cause offence, hurt or upset. Each case is usually dealt with in a individual manner.

I hope this response is of a satisfactory nature

kind regards

John Kerr

Emergency Nurse Practitioner ED

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Between-the-bridges (a service user)

It is at the discretion of one person whether an advocate is allowed into the room of the patient or not. There should be a uniformity to that type of decision.

Having watched the ED departments in the trust, in Altnagelvin, where people are crammed into corners, to hear acute medical doctors in emergency medicine may come about the incapacity to do their job.

I would consider that the risk and the ratios of visitors, fire hazards and infection control is a little bit biased if it only applies to one hospital where there are no surgeons, rather than the other hospital, where there are no beds.

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