"Lack of care or compassion"

I was in ward 12 visiting a patient who has confusion. The patient who I was visiting has cancer and was in terrible pain. Said she needed painkillers. I said I would go and ask. She said she wasn't allowed outside the room and she had to buzz but they don't like you buzzing. I asked her to buzz and she did.

A lovely young assistant came into the room, switched off the buzzer and said she would go and tell the patients nurse. She came back and said she had informed the nurse. 1/2 an hour passes, the patient's pain and distress is worsening.

I go and find the nurse. She said she didn't know and was just going to a handover. I said yes, after you get the painkillers. Your cancer patient has waited over 1/2 an hour. She wasn't happy at all, but in she comes with the painkillers, asks what's your date of birth. Hands them over and walks back out. Not a single how are you, how bad is your pain, can I help you with anything else? Her face was tripping her.

The nursing assistant was visibly upset, insisting she did tell the nurse. I believe the nursing assistant. How long exactly would that patient have waited in agony for her painkillers if I hadn't intervened? Have nurses stopped introducing themselves to patients families? Especially vulnerable patients families.

All the patients in the room were complaining that the place was filthy. One said an assistant spilled coffee on the room floor 2 days ago and despite someone pretending to mop the floor the coffee stain was still there.

The confused patient I visited had some sort of syringe lying on her food tray in amongst her dinner and tablet containers. I thought she had forgot to take it. On checking the contents it was a half used syringe of fluid used to clean out the equipment for her drips. Glad she hadn't got round to taking it.