"Rowan 1 at Highbury hospital"

My dad was a patient on Rowan 1 recently. I went to visit him having arranged this with a member of staff one morning while he was there. The member of staff I spoke to informed me that I would be able to use the family room to see my dad from 16:30-17:00. 

I had not seen my dad since he had become so acutely unwell and, needless to say, was anxious to see him. The last few months have been some of the most difficult my dad, my mum and I have ever experienced; largely due to my dad becoming so unwell. I arrived at 16:30 as arranged and waited outside In the rain having pressed the buzzer for reception. No response. I then pressed the buzzer for Rowan 1, which I also got no response to. I was waiting for 8 minutes with no response which was upsetting in itself as it was eating into time with my dad.

I would like to add at this point I am a student nurse and have 6 years experience as a health care assistant so I am certainly not oblivious to short staffing, busy wards and time constraints, however being on the receiving end of being left anxiously waiting to see a loved one for so long is not a nice experience. I also understand emergency situations occur meaning staff have their time further taken up. However, I saw plenty of staff around when I actually arrived - one of which was sat down around a nursing station area where I assume the buzzers are answered. Then, a person who looked like a doctor was leaving the building and without saying a word just swiped me into the building. How fortunate is it I have no intent to harm vulnerable patients as this would have been easy access to say the least. 

I then walked round to the ward as I assume I had to collect my dad and take him to the family room as I wasn’t given instructions to state otherwise. I was, again, allowed on the ward freely and could see my dad instantly as I arrived on the ward - he was looking upset and panicked. As I went to walk to get him and he was walking towards me a very abrupt and stern member of staff put their arm in front of my dad to stop him walking towards me and told me “quickly, come in”! “Shut the door quick!” And also tried to physically stop me entering as though my dad was an aggressive man trying to randomly leave the ward? When I explained that this was my dad and I was visiting him this staff member said they thought I was staff, and shouted that I had to get out! And walked towards me intimidatingly to usher me out. Again, how poorly regulated and how fortunate I wasn’t someone with intent to harm a vulnerable patient group.

By this point my dad was saying “they’ve told me I don’t have a visitor” before the door was shut on us both. I would like to point out my dads section was lifted at this point. I understand now that visitors are not allowed on the ward having spoken to my mum who has visited several times, however this was not explained to me prior and no one would let me in the building or answer the buzzer to explain where I had to go. My dad was then escorted out to meet me where I was “greeted” by another abrupt and stern member of staff who literally shouted “TWO METRES” (as we walked on opposite sides of the corridor to one another).

We were escorted to the family room where our time together had already been eaten into to then be greeted by a confused family member who rudely asked what we were doing there. Through an unpleasant interaction we found we had each been told that we had booked the room. The staff member heard this and said nothing.

My dad, extremely upset, anxious and depressed having attempted suicide multiple times over the past few months in some horrific ways was mortified and already distressed by being told by staff that he never even had a visitor today - there had been a very clear cut lack of communication amongst staff. By this point I ended the visit with him and was too upset to even attempt speaking to the rude and unapproachable staff member that had escorted my dad out of the ward. I would also like to mention I was told to wear a mask upon entering the hospital and the family member who interrupted the time I had with my dad was not wearing one and had her arm around her family member in front of the staff member. I, on the other hand, had been shouted at like a child “TWO METERS” whilst walking on two separate sides of the corridor. 

My dad has described the hospital as a “prison” and told me “it depends who you get” “they are so disorganised and don’t communicate nicely” when I asked if the staff were treating him kindly. While I understand it is a secure unit for adult males who have been sectioned, this is disturbing to hear. 

As a an experienced student nurse I am beyond mortified and disgusted. Ironically, I had bought a box of chocolates and a card to give to staff as a gesture of appreciation for “caring” for him. I appreciate the hard work and determination it takes to be a nurse. How I wish I would have saved my money. 

I believe the staff on Rowan 1 need training on communication and how to speak to and treat people like autonomous, adult human beings. Pure insult to injury has been added to a truly traumatic time for us as a family. To be clear, I will be taking this as far as it needs to be taken and will not stop before we are given an apology and are told what is going to be done about the issues I have raised. I, for one, will always advocate for vulnerable patients who may not be able to speak up for themselves. There is no excuse for poor care, period. 

I have also witnessed staff members stood outside the ward smoking cigarettes and chatting away on their phone on their break where family members are entering and leaving. I agree with my dad in that the staff appear disorganised and unprofessional. 

After I wrote the above, I was shockingly informed by my mum that just before my dad left Rowan 1 he had a staff member come to him in a confrontational manner saying they had “beef" with him, accusing him of refusing his meds 3 times that morning, and in my dads words, was “in his face”. My dad was sleeping that morning due to sleeping tablets he has was given the night before having an effect and that is the reason he didn’t take his medication. 

Needless to say I was disgraced to say the least. My dad gave me the name of the member of staff who acted in this disgusting way towards him and I rang the ward wanting an explanation. A manager called me back after being in meetings all day and said, stuttering over themselves and clearly constructing a story as they went, my dad had maybe been taken the wrong way because the member of staff said “no beef" and had told him not to worry about not taking his medication that morning. The manager confirmed they were not there when it happened and they were going off what the staff member had told them. 

My dad would NEVER lie about something like that and is an extremely anxious and none confrontational person. Having seen how the staff there talk to people and how rude and unprofessional they came across to me I find it perfectly believable.  

I hope and pray that no one else’s family has to endure that kind of behaviour and go through what we have gone through and the hell my dad has had to endure at the worst time of his life. 

I am contemplating taking this to the care quality commission or at least the NMC. I hope members of the public see this and speak out at the first sign of something off on that ward. 

There are other scenarios I would like to complain about however I will leave it here as these are the ones that have stuck most in my head and upset me so much.