"My Mothers Heartlands Hospital Experience"

My mother was bought to A&E following a fall at home a week ago. Our experience in A&E was long. Eventually my mother was admitted to Ward 20 and the quality of care from that moment on has been horrific to say the least. My mother is 78 years old and is in congestive heart failure, recently diagnosed with vascular dementia however she was complaining of pain in her lower back. Despite being seen by a Doctor and sending her for an xray of her pelvis (Not her back where she was in pain) every member of the ward 20 staff we came into contact with were adamant she would be discharged the next day. As luck would happen mother started experiencing a postural drop in blood pressure so ward 20 were obliged to keep her in an extra day. At no time was we informed that mothers blood test results where abnormal or that she had dangerously low potassium levels. Trying to speak to members of staff about our concerns was becoming increasingly difficult with some members of staff acting aloof and stand offish and failing to listen to us. The next thing we know is mother is being moved to ward 22.

At this point it is with great sadness that I can honestly say my concerns got worse. The ward is filthy. Patients who had accidentally messed themselves being left for 3 hours before eventually being cleaned up. Some of the staff failures I had witnessed and mother has experienced all in just 1 day are as follows:

Mothers Breakfast drugs still on her bedside cabinet at 1pm (Drugs Breach)

Water jug and glass moved as far away as possible so my mother was literally crying for a glass of water.

Staff asking me if I felt my mother should be on a pressure mattresses when it was clearly written in her notes that she had grade 2 pressure sores on her bottom

Lack of communication and being kept informed whilst we were there is extremely infuriating.

Discovering my mother had actually broken a bone in her back a whole week after being admitted and despite having a ct in A & E and a pelvic xray. Discovering she was marked down as to be mobile with supervision and not confined to her bed.

Bed pushed up against the wall as the ceiling started to flood.

Meals just left on her tray.

I am extremely distressed at the things I have witnessed and will be contacting pals however I feel my mother has been let down from the moment she arrived at Heartlands Hospital.