"Keeping patients informed"

Following my inability to move (I have Parkinsons) the paramedics assessed me at home and then took me the AMU where I was admitted. This was about mid-afternoon last Thursday. Blood samples were taken in the AMU. A student doctor took some details and I had a brief visit from a resident doctor who said that I had tested positive for COVID but provided no other information.

On Friday afternoon I was transferred from the AMU to Torridge Ward though no explanation was offered. At no time on Friday did I see a doctor. On Saturday I was twice assured that a doctor would call but none did. On Sunday given my mobility problems had gone I decided to go home and the on call doctor agreed to this.

The issue for me in all this is that no one told me what the plan for my care was nor when I could expect to see a doctor. This left me with great uncertainty, hence my decision to leave the hospital. The overwhelming impress was that the clinical staff I saw had really no interest in me (in contrast to some other staff who were excellent).

I suggest that the hospital needs to examine the scope for giving patients an outline care plan however basic shortly after their admission and think this should be a matter of course.