"Patient care OK but scant regard for relatives..."

My father was admitted to Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth suffering from pneumonia brought on by Parkinson's disease. Since he could not swallow, he was eventually fitted with a tube into his stomach - this operation was delayed for 3 days, though we did not receive a proper explanation. His physical needs were otherwise well met - he was kept clean (he was doubly incontinent and bed-ridden) and as comfortable as could be expected, and he was given treatment to aid his breathing. On the other hand, the staff seemed pretty indifferent to relatives when they went to visit, and did not explain much of what was going on (why the operation was delayed; why he was moved twice from one ward to another). The staff's main concern seemed to be to get Dad moved out of hospital and into a nursing home, even though he was seriously ill (as we pointed out) and even though the nearest home willing to take Parkinson's patients is 40 miles away - a hopeless idea for my 87-year-old mother. I suspect that this was solely with a view to keeping down death rates in the hospital. As my dad died after some 3 weeks there, in my opinion moving him would have been totally pointless, and needlessly cruel to my mother. She was already upset by the pressure she felt under from the hospital and 'care' staff that dealt with my father.