"Causing me anxiety and distress"

I received care from the Holywell Ward and the Day Surgery Team.

I arrived at 07:30am as had been stipulated. I and others within my bay were herded into the ward like cattle which I do not think is appropriate. I felt like the staff on Holywell Ward appeared to prioritise everyone else in the bay except for me. They supported everyone else in the bay to get gowned up ready for surgery, checked them in to the ward, measured and gave TED stockings and took their physical observations within half an hour of being there. However, they singled me out and did not action any of this for me for around three hours as they said they had forgotten. Even then I was not gowned up and did not have TED stockings and they merely took my physical observations.

I was left waiting on the ward all day without any communication from any of the staff on the ward. Staff did not communicate with me about my stay, the processors and they failed to keep me updated about the progress/ process of the surgeries and when I was going to be seen. In effect it is as if they had forgotten about me and left me sitting in the corner of the bay all day like a spare part. Staff could be overheard communicating amongst themselves however, complaining about other colleagues and processors but seemingly did not have the time to communicate with me or keep me updated regarding my care.

Whilst waiting for my surgery, I overheard a nurse on the phone to another patient. They informed them that although it was 12 noon and they had been eating and drinking all morning, they could come to the ward for their planned surgery. Whether this was planned or not I am unsure but what I do know is this patient came to the ward and had to wait for someone else to be discharged before they could be slotted into their bed. They arrived with a relative just after lunch and the relative became irate and irritated with the staff due to the priority of surgery cases on the ward and because their relative was not being scheduled sooner than they thought they should be. The nurse took the relative of the patient to one side and informed she would try and squeeze her in (I assume to smooth over any complaint from the relative as the relative was clearly irate and annoyed with the staff). My concern with this is that this patient who had not followed the guidance of not eating, drinking, and arriving to the ward on time was prioritised for surgery before myself and I am somewhat miffed that the patient was able to come to the ward, having not followed the guidance and was slotted in. Particularly as they had to wait for one patient to be discharged so they could have her bed.

Whilst I appreciate there is an order of surgeries, this can be changed on the day and is assessed on clinical need, I am somewhat disappointed that this patient was prioritised before me, seemingly because their relative was irate and becoming annoyed with the staff. Similarly, I am annoyed they were “squeezed in” in front of me in the surgery queue despite the fact they had not followed the advice, guidance and arrived on time for surgery. I was informed that this patient had gone into surgery before me and that I was scheduled to go in next.

I was asked to change into a gown at approximately 15:45hrs awaiting my turn for surgery. However, at 16:00hrs a nurse came to tell me that unfortunately because the surgery of the patient before me (i.e., the one who pushed in front of me and was squeezed in) was overrunning, my surgery had been cancelled. I was advised I would have to return on another day and that another appointment would be booked by the secretaries, but they could not say when this would be.

I was advised I would be prioritised next time, but this does not fill me with any relief or satisfaction as I have waited 9 hours today without food, drink, communication from the Holywell team, causing me anxiety and distress all because someone was pushed in front of the queue.

I am deeply unsatisfied with the way in which I have been treated throughout this whole process. I am someone who suffers with diagnosed health anxiety, and I am on medications for this. I do not feel it is humane to treat someone like this and causing further anxiety and distress to them. I am disappointed in the team at Holywell Ward.

I am a nurse myself and appreciate the NHS is stretched and colleagues are overworked, underpaid, and not valued. However, I expected more compassion, understanding and diplomatic processors to be followed and feel there is no excuse for the fundamentals of the 6C’s of nursing to not be adhered to.