"DISGRACEFUL"

My sister was taken in on 7th September, she has down's syndrome and dementia, staff in A&E were OK but when we got to the ward the staff there complained as no blood test had been done or canula inserted. Staff on that ward were efficient - after that it all went downhill. She was transferred to Southbourne ward and treatment was appalling. She was lucky carer from her nursing home was with her as she cannot communicate on her own, but seemed nursing staff thought that meant they could ignore her. She was left lying in her own urine as pad had leaked, carer asked twice and when I went in I also asked twice for clean linen - I was told to press buzzer - this was behind cabinet behind a curtain - not on the bed ready to be used if necessary. Pressing the buzzer still did not bring assistance at least half hour passed before they brought linen in order to change her bed and a basin of water to wash her. They were totally useless with suitable food for someone on a pureed diet - there must be hundreds of patients who require that. There was a problem with her canula and nursing staff must have asked four or five times for someone to come and replace it. Doctor told us two things that were wrong with her then in the discharge letter two totally different things were written. We were all appalled with the treatment, Nurses over the weekend had a couldn't care less attitude doctors were snappy. All in all very poor service, not helped with patient in next bed having several very noisy visitors who were there for hours - making sleep impossible for others on the ward - surely nursing staff should have requested that noise be kept down.