"Appalling care"

My dad was sent to ward one after spending 2 weeks in ITU with Pnuemonia. He recovered well enough to be stepped down to ward one.

The staff we encountered on the first day here showed lack of care, compassion and communication. 

My dad was diabetic and his insulin was not kept in a fridge - there was also one occasion that they did not have insulin on the ward so I had to use my insulin to ensure he received his medication.

Several staff members were rude, lacked compassion, and did not communicate with patients at all.

There was a member of staff who lacked any care, compassion, communication skills, competence and basic manners - their language was absolutely appalling. A few members of staff also had terrible language and one incident took place during the night where they were arguing and shouting at each other while buzzers were going off. They literally stood outside my Dad's room swearing. 

We complained about their language, and my Dad, who was dying, was moved to another ward - he passed away 6 hours later.

My dad's syringe driver was not refilled on time - he was in pain and agitated. We were left in a side room to look after our Dad and only saw a nurse if we asked for anything.

My Dad was sent home from ward one even though he was not medically fit for discharge and we were told just call 999. He was re-admitted as a failed discharge - put back on a ward for medically fit patients even though he had zero urine output, hypotension, hypo-glycaemia and was not eating or drinking. Cultures were taken 24 hours later showing he had sepsis - no one seemed interested in my Dad as anindividual patient - he was just seen as a failed discharge and a problem for the hospital.

I believe the death of my Dad would not have occurred if he was treated correctly and we were listened to. 

I have contacted PALs - still waiting over 2 months later for a phone call to discuss my complaint. An email was sent to my case handler, the chief exec and to the complaints department again to see why I have still not been contacted.

There no was no peace or dignity in my dad's palliative care on ward one and one member of staff did not seem to care what they had done and carried on the way they had been, even after getting the on-site matron involved - who we felt did not seem shocked by our situation or interested in the lack of basic nursing on this ward.

There were a few good members of staff but the bad behaviours on this ward take that away as you are just left with the worst impression and management don't seem interested in making patients or families feel like they have a right to a basic standard of care or compassion.

It is awful that I have still not had any responses from any member of complaints team as to why I have not received the phone call that is stated in the email PALs send you stating the process and what happens - if the Chief Exec does not even reply what hope is there that my complaint will be even dealt with?