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Care Opinion

Security staff lacked compassion or politeness

Posted By Jaques27Gilles

"Security staff lacked compassion or politeness"

About: Royal Cornwall Hospital (Treliske) / Emergency Department

(as a relative),

I want to give feedback on my wife’s visit to the Emergency Department at Truro one evening last week.

The care and attention of the nursing staff and doctors could not have been better and for that we are very grateful. The same could not be said of the security guards (that’s the only way to describe them), at the ED.

We had waited in the waiting area for about an hour when three guards arrived and without any given reason they told everyone who wasn’t a patient to leave. Their attitude was as if they were policing at a nightclub or rock concert, not people who were vulnerable, in an alien environment and some who couldn’t stand, let alone walk without assistance.

One elderly lady who couldn’t stand without assistance was shouted at by one of the guards because he could not understand what she was saying.

Their attitude was completely without compassion or politeness. When challenged they just said it was because of Covid crowding and the “rules”. Well nothing changed between one minute and the next, so why were we thrown out, because that’s what it felt like. Even later on when my wife was discharged at 22:00 they were still not allowing carers to enter, even through there were only half a dozen people in there.

I am 72 and my wife is 71. She was left on her own with a twisted knee, head injury, bruised wrist and sore neck in a hospital she didn’t know, without anyone to comfort her.

The guards very obviously had no training in caring for elderly and confused patients. I was told to wait outside in a temperature of 4 degrees without proper clothing. We were part of a coach tour and had arrived at the hospital by taxi and so did not have a car to wait in. It was only after two hours that someone waiting with me told me that there was a main reception area a few minutes’ walk away. How much better it would have been to have been told this earlier.

I will always obey instructions if they are sensible, reasonable and given in a civilised way. These guards were anything but this. Your policy on how patients and carers are approached in the waiting area needs a serious review.

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Responses

Response from Paul Dixon, Trust Security Manager, Security Department, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 2 years ago
Paul Dixon
Trust Security Manager, Security Department,
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

Submitted on 15/02/2022 at 11:21
Published on Care Opinion at 11:21

Dear Jaques27Gilles,

Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us. Firstly, can I offer an apology to you and your wife for being treated so harshly and with a total lack of compassion when you attended our Emergency Department.

For the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic we have employed the service of a contracted Security company to work on our entrances and apply the advice provided by the Government and NHS England. For the majority of this period, they have provided officers who have applied this National advice compassionately, ensuring that those members of the public who may be escorting the elderly, the visually impaired, patients who may be confused or have dementia and of course children can be accompanied by a relative, friend or carer.

We have asked, and expect these officers to use common sense when following the national guidance. Unfortunately, it is clear to see that common sense was not used in your case. I will be personally contacting the Managing Director of the security company to gain assurance that his employees are fully aware of what we expect from them and to apply discretion and compassion when making these decisions.

If you would like to raise your concerns formally, please do not hesitate to contact our Patient and Family Experience team to discuss further, using the details below:

Email: rcht.patientexperience@nhs.net

Tel: 01872 252793

Thank you again for taking the time to share your story with us.

Best wishes,

Paul

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Update posted by Jaques27Gilles (a relative)

Dear Paul,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I am pleased that some action will be taken and hope that future patients will be better treated.

I must emphasise that our experience in not way refers to the reception and medical staff who all acted in a polite and professional way.

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