"Not conducive to recovery or privacy"

Dear Tony916

My name is Conor Campbell. My position is Senior Manager, Assurance and Improvement with a leading role in improving the service user experience - which includes responding to any person who tells their story through Care Opinion in order to help the organisation learn and improve.

I am very sorry to learn of the difficult elements described within your experience of having a 5-night stay in an additional bed at Ulster Hospital Ward 6C.

If there is any aspect of your healthcare needs which require attention by ward leadership, and in order to have these explored at a personal level, I invite you to email me at conor.campbell@setrust.hscni.net to share your name / date of birth / address / Health and Care Number (if handy) and contact number.

I have connected with service leadership to raise your experience for their consideration and response.

Service leadership greatly appreciate your positive feedback regarding excellent care provided to you. They are keen that the elements that should have been better raised by yourself are responded to effectively and will review these elements to explore change and improvement options.

I hope that you are recovering well and keep well going forward.

Again, I apologise to you for the elements of your care journey that should have been better and I thank you for sharing your story and the learning / improvement opportunity afforded to us through this.

Best wishes

Conor

Dear Tony916

I am sorry that my earlier response was unhelpful to you.

I have re-raised your experience story to Ulster Hospital Ward 6C Ward Manager and Senior Manager for review and response to you.

If you wish to do so, I invite you to call me on 07485593364 at any time to discuss your experience and what effective steps may be taken in response.

Again, I apologise to you for each element that could have been better and hope that you are keeping well.

Thank you for sharing your experience. It helps our services to learn and improve. The Trust's Involvement and Experience Leadership committee next sits on 28.11.2024. I will raise your experience at that committee meeting to seek agreement on changes to be made to support a good quality inpatient experience.

Best wishes

Conor

Dear Tony916,

Please see response made to you today by Shelly Laverty, Interim Ward Manager, Ulster Hospital Ward 6C.

"Dear Tony916,

Thank you for your feedback regarding your recent admission to Ward 6C in the Ulster Hospital.

At the outset, may I offer my apologies that you had a less than satisfactory experience here. We would like to apologise that the corridor bed was the only bed we could offer you during your inpatient stay. Due to the acuity of the patients admitted during that time, this was our only option for you to receive the medical treatment that you required.

Unfortunately, the use of corridor beds is happening more than we would like within the hospital. However, they are necessary due to the continued daily strain that our Emergency Department is under.

I am glad to hear that you were happy with the care you received whilst an inpatient, Ward 6C nursing staff pride themselves on striving to provide a high standard of nursing care. In future, I would suggest asking to speak with the nurse in charge whilst you are on the ward and we will do our utmost to make your stay more comfortable where possible.

I recognise that a corridor bed is far from ideal for any person to be in and we understand at times it can be uncomfortable and provides little privacy. Unfortunately, the staff shower room is the only option we have to offer patients in our corridor beds, again we understand this is far from ideal, but staff can accompany corridor bed patients out to use this using their staff pass.

I would like to apologise if the care provided in Ulster Hospital Ward 6C did not meet the standard you expected and we will look at addressing those concerns you have raised.

Thank You."

Shelly Laverty

Ward 6C Interim Manager