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filth and uncaring staff

Posted By darksonnet

"filth and uncaring staff"

About: Medway Maritime Hospital

(as a relative),

yesterday I visited my father on Harvey ward, on my way there I was disgusted by the exposed pipes in the ceiling, and how dirty the floors and walls was. On the ward the floor had dried ground up dirt on the floor, and the curtains around the beds are really faded and appears to be dusty at the tops.

when I asked my dad how he was feeling he said rubbish they have left me here for over an hour laying in the bed which is very painful for him.

I was also very shocked to find out that on harvey ward they are only allowing the patients 2 cups of tea a day which is ridiculous and to have it confirmed by a member of staff when I said my dad would like a cup of coffee and for the staff member to say they are only allowed to give them 2 a day BUT on this occasion will do it the once I was outraged.

My father asked me to get the nurses as he needed to sit on the commode instead of allowing my father the dignity of sitting on the commode they gave him a bed pan instead saying they did not have the time to put him on and off the commode outrageous! ! ! my dad was in tears about this.

My dad then asked me if I could ask the nurse if he could have a look at his notes so he could read them as his rights say he can. when asked the staff member snapped sharply at me saying he is not allowed to see his notes. every ward I have been to see other sick members of my family or even my self in other hospitals have always allowed patients to read through their notes and my dad became ever so upset by the fact he was not allowed to read up on his own notes as they were about him.

I will be taking these matters up wit CQC

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Responses

Response from Stroke Association, Stroke Helpline, Stroke Association 10 years ago
Stroke Association
Stroke Helpline,
Stroke Association

Submitted on 07/08/2013 at 12:54
Published on Care Opinion at 14:08

Dear Dark Sonnet

We noticed your post and thought you may be interested to hear about the work of the Stroke Association and how we may be able to support you. Stroke Association is the leading charity in the UK changing the world for people affected by stroke.

Our Stroke Helpline is there for anyone who has been affected by stroke in any way. You may want to know more about stroke and its effects, be looking for practical information and support, or simply someone to talk to. The Stroke Helpline is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm on 0303 30 33 100. You can also email us at info@stroke.org.uk. We also have a range of services across the UK, providing information, advice and support to stroke survivors and their families. You can find out if there is a service in your area by contacting the Helpline.

We were sorry to hear of your father’s experience at Medway Hospital and how you feel he is not receiving good care. Although you mention that you plan to take the issue up with the CQC, it might also be helpful to contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and The Patients Association. PALS is an independent organisation, there to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible. You can telephone PALS at Medway Hospital on 0800 014 1641 or email them at nhsmedwaypals@nhs.net. The Patients Association focuses upon gathering the opinions of patients and their families about the care they receive from the NHS and using these to campaign for change and improvements to the service. You can call them on 0845 608 4455 or email them on helpline@patients-association.com

Finally, you can also find lots of information about stroke on our website at www.stroke.org.uk. You can read about our services, read or listen to other people’s experiences and download all of our publications free of charge. There is news about our campaigns to improve services for stroke survivors, national and local events and our research programmes. You can also join the Talkstroke discussion group where you can share your experiences with other people who have been affected by stroke.

I hope that this is helpful and that your father receives the support that he needs to make the best recovery possible.

Stroke Information Service

info@stroke.org.uk

Stroke Association staff are not medically trained and the information provided does not replace information given to you by your own healthcare provider.

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Response from Suzanne Brooker, Head of Patient Experience, Medway NHS Foundation Trust 10 years ago
Suzanne Brooker
Head of Patient Experience,
Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 07/08/2013 at 15:43
Published on Care Opinion at 15:49

As a visitor to the ward I was sorry to read of your poor experience in relation to the environment and care your father had received. This is not the standard you should expect and I would welcome the opportunity to listen to the issues raised and offer an explanation and assurance that patients are at the forefront of all that we do.

In order for the trust to address these issues please can you contact James Hatfield Senior Charge Nurse on 01634 830000 ex 5507.

We welcome your feedback.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

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Response from Department of Health 10 years ago
Department of Health

Submitted on 18/10/2013 at 11:29
Published on Care Opinion at 12:20

Dear darksonnet,

I am sorry to hear about your father's experience at the Medway Maritime Hospital. As the Stroke Association have suggested, I recommend that you contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) for the hospital in the first instance to take your complaint directly to the point of care, but you may also wish to register your experience with Healthwatch England. Healthwatch England is the new consumer champion for health and social care which has a role in gathering people’s views on their local health and care services to influence and challenge how they are provided. You can find your local healthwatch on the following link:

http://www.healthwatch.co.uk/

You may also wish to use the NHS Constitution to support your correspondence with these organisations. The NHS Constitution can be found on the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/170656/NHS_Constitution.pdf

And it has a supporting handbook of explanatory notes which can be found on the following link:

http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/NHSConstitution/Documents/2013/handbook-to-the-nhs-constitution.pdf

There are several rights that you can refer to, protected in law, which I would like to draw your attention to:

1. ‘You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with your human rights.’ –NHS Constitution, p. 8

2. ‘You have the right of access to your own health records and to have any factual inaccuracies corrected.’ –NHS Constitution, p. 8

I hope that this additional information is helpful,

NHS Constitution Team

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