"Elderly man left in agony"

My father was moved from ward 53 in Glasgow Royal Infirmary to QEUH Ward 10b. He has fractured vertebrae and was transferred to have biopsies taken. This was meant to happen first thing the next morning but didn't go ahead.

He's been on pain relief since he was admitted to GRI a week before. Since he's been transferred to ward 10b, he's been left in a room on his own. He has to lie flat due to the nature of his condition. Food and drink are left on the tray at the bottom of his bed... how on earth is he meant to eat or drink when he can barely move and he can't sit up? He is 74 years old, he's alone and scared. He phoned me in tears (I am 35 and have never seen or heard my father cry in my entire life!) He is in absolutely agony! He's been given no pain relief whatsoever.

The phone just rings out and when I did eventually get an answer it was a very short response 'okay, I'll speak to the nurse who's looking after him. Bye.' I understand hospitals are busy but at 11pm on a Sunday I would imagine this would be a quieter time. My poor father has been left to suffer unnecessarily. I am beyond livid!

Since I wrote the above, there have been more failings. He has been left with no pain relief a few more times and I've had to phone the ward to ask them to assist my father. When he presses his nurse button nobody comes and when they do, it takes them an awful long time to check on him.

I went to see my dad again, he was starving. The surgery he was expecting was pushed back. I asked the nurse why my dad hadn't had breakfast, who said he is nil by mouth. I said they must know the surgery was delayed so why he hasn't he been given breakfast? This nurse came back around 20mins later with a boiling hot cup of coffee in a mug and two slices of cold toast with butter and jam portions. I had to butter his toast for him. My dad has to lie at 30 degrees or under as I've already mentioned, he cannot drink from a mug, he has a sip cup with a straw. I had to transfer the coffee into this for him. If I hadn't been there he would have been left with no way to eat or drink anything.

This afternoon, after coming back from surgery this morning, he was given no pain relief until 3pm, two hours after the operation. Whilst on the phone to him, someone came into his room, I have no idea if they were a nurse or not. They told my dad what he would be eating then I heard my dad screaming out in pain! The person who brought his dinner used the control on the bed to sit my dad upright without even asking! Already in agony and now he's in hellish pain.

My father has suffered to no end since being in ward 10b, he has told me he wants to go back to the GRI. He's now at the stage where he is suicidal because of the shocking lack of care - he doesn't see the point in living because they have made his life even more of a misery. A 74 year old man left to suffer, there is a serious lack of care and compassion.