"Edinburgh Royal Infirmary experience."

Twice last week I have been admitted to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

The experience was horrendous though this thread concerns my second admission one recent afternoon. As usual the paramedics were brilliant in their care and professionalism, my thanks also to my GP who got the ball rolling. I have a great GP practice.

On arrival I was assessed (bed number 1), BP, temp and oxygen levels taken then if able you are asked to sit in the waiting area.   I say waiting area, it nothing more than rows of seats either side of a narrow corridor. After a wait there you are taken to another bed where you await a doctors assessment (bed number 2) I was to be kept in overnight with a view to getting a ultrasound scan the following day, I was also prescribed antibiotics.

Cannula was inserted at around midnight to keep my fluids up.

At 1 am I was moved to another ward (bed number 3)

I was never given the fluids . If it was not for the fact that I took in a bottle of juice myself I would not have had a fluid intake for over 26 hours.  I had nothing to eat in that time.  Initially I was on starvation due to the scan and after the scan I was told a dietitian would come and see me as I am on a totally liquid diet.  This never happened so 26+ without food.  Not a big deal you might say but for a 65 year old?

The only antibiotic I saw was a bottle in powdered form which was placed on my bedside cabinet over night.  This was no use as it should have been mixed at the pharmacy and  I was not given any of it.

I am surprised I did not hear this being left but then again it was probably drowned out by the nursing staff chatting loudly amongst themselves.

Being discharged can take hours because if you need medication the nurses do not have the time to go to the pharmacy and wait twenty minutes for a prescription to be filled, 

The disorganisation was absolutely evident.   I did not have an identity wrist strap given to me and I thought these where important as a confirmation of a patients identity, On Sunday, my first admission, I had two, one from the paramedics as I had been given morphine and one from the Royal as you would expect. 

I feel that there are chronic staff shortages where staff have so much to do and will unfortunately forget to to things. I mentioned on at least two occasions the lack of a intravenous fluids bottle and antibiotics but to no avail.

In my experience there is very little point of making the complaint official via the PET service of NHS Lothian. 

Turning to the building itself, the quality of the building work is appalling particularly in ceilings, how this was accepted by building inspectors is a worry. 

Patients have nowhere to put waste and if like me you use a lot of tissues because of nasal issues this can be difficult as you have to use the bin in the ward which is fine if you are mobile.

There is a small wardrobe beside each bed rendered pretty much inaccessible as there is a heavy patient chair blocking access.

Scary thing is I am having to go back in for a minor operation and whilst the surgical procedure does not concern me my care afterwards gives me cause to worry.