"Emergency Surgery - Subpar Care"

I have never felt so scared or disappointed in the lack of care shown by a team that I have on SDU. My husband was admitted via A and E for acute appendicitis and had emergency surgery. His surgery went hours over the time, staff didn’t call back despite promises they would.

Attempted to discharge him with bleeding wounds and dirty bandages with no replacements offered. Also had to be reminded 6 times that he required a fit note for work purposes but they assumed he didn’t work, talk about stereotypes!

They also did not provide pain relief and there was errors over his medication, stating he hadn’t had any ward since surgery - in which luckily I was able to correct them and prove he had. Staff were overrun, seemingly short staffed and unable to provide an adequate level of care.

Patients were left stressed, families terrified and outcomes worsened. He received no discharge care or advice, including life saving advice regarding TED stockings. Appreciate the strain the staff are under but they are dangerously cutting corners and providing inadequate care. Patient outcomes are going to be telling for the level of care provided today, as well as some of the most argumentative staff I’ve ever met.

Some female nurses were rude individuals who questioned my husbands pain and pain relief needs on the basis of they didn’t think he should be that bad.

Waited 2.5 hours for medicine on ward and had to beg for appropriate pain relief to be continued at home. They eventually wrote him a fit note for 2 weeks, and then decided scribble over it and change it to 7 days. Doctors, nurses and HCA all were poor and overworked leading to horrendous lack of care which could prove dangerous for my husbands recovery.