"I was admitted for a scheduled ..."

What I liked

I was admitted for a scheduled prostate operation. I was on the ward for 2 nights and have nothing but praise for the staff, the cleanliness, the food, everything in fact. I have no complaints at all regarding my time on the ward. I was discharged on the third day.

What could be improved

Unfortunately at 3 oclock the following morning I was back in A and E because I was unable to pass urine. Again I was impressed with my treatment. I was imediately admitted temporarily to the Surgical admissions ward where I was fitted with a temporary catheter and bag. And then waited to be seen by a urology doctor.

I was placed on a bed in a bay off of the main ward. Although not obviously dirty this area gave the impression that nobody owned it. There were items of equipment lying around on the floor. There were 4 beds in this area and one other was occupied. The other patient was discharged and I watched whilst his bed was thoroughly cleaned and remade for a new patient who arrived shortly after.

The beds in this bay did not have lockers but they did have a bedside table which came in handy because I was still there at breakfast time. Unfortunately at this time I noticed that this table was dirty. Correction it was not just dirty it was disgustingly filthy. It was covered in food stains that had obviously been there for some time. Shortly afterwards a group of nurses came by changing bed linen. We agreed that there was no point in changing my bed because I was going home. I asked them to clean the table, but they said I would have to speak to the cleaners. I was discharged shortly afterwards and did not see a cleaner.

Anything else?

Afterwards I related my experience of surgical admissions to a, none medical, person I know who works at the hospital. This resulted in an upward rolling of the eyes and "Surgical admissions you don't want to go in there". That just about sums it up really.