"My father's care"

My father was moved from general wards at Inverclyde Royal Hospital to Ward 2 at the Larkfield Unit after contracting COVID.  There were issues in G North but this was mainly due to staff being so busy (medication left by his bedside all day and no one checking he had taken it, water left out of reach when he was bed bound etc).

We were assured when he went to ward 2 that he would have better care in order for him to get home.  The nursing staff on the ward were generally caring and some of the auxiliaries were caring, although quite a few were dismissive and treated him like just another old person. I found one of the doctors on the ward to be patronising, and they actually shouted at my mother when she asked how my father was doing. Another doctor we saw was excellent, and the consultant we saw was outstanding. We met with them and gradually things began to improve.  

We felt as a family we were dismissed and our concerns not listened to by one particular junior doctor. 

A newly qualified nurse was very attentive though, and did listen to our concerns and tried to pass these on. I know my father wasn't easy to deal with (he had hospital acquired delirium) but the staffing levels were such that I feel his care was compromised. He fell 3 times whilst in the ward and one evening after a fall when I refused to leave him, I was left in the ward on my own with 3 other men who were falls risks and one who was particularly violent. One of the other patients tried to get out of bed and when I pressed the buzzer, no one came.  

I feel these issues are mainly down to staffing as they are woefully short staffed and I believe it is affecting patient care. The nurses did their best and as I have mentioned before the majority were kind and caring and treated my dad with dignity and respect. Some of the health care assistants could maybe do with a refresher course in treating patients with dignity and remembering they are people and not their delirium.  

Thankfully we got my father home with a care package and he has improved immensely since he got home.  However he has made us promise never to put him back into hospital ever again, which is a very sad sentiment to have in the twilight years when health and mobility is failing.