"Concerns re mothers care, room 23 ward 11."

Anything else?

My mother had stomach pains and an ambulance took her to Tunbridge wells hospital on the 27th september 2013. She had an emergency operation on sunday 29th to remove a burst Gallbladder and spent over a week in intensive care then was transferred onto ward 11. The care she received whilst in I.C. was excellent. We are very concerned however with the care on ward 11 and very upset with the lack of her daily personal hygiene care. My mother has had a stroke and is only able to use one hand properly and cannot see out of one eye, but mentally she is o.k. for a 77 year old, she did complain to myself and my wife twice re being left at night when needing a bed pan and having to sleep in her own urine, we didnt mention it because we thought sometimes accidents happen. yesterday 14/10/13 when my wife went to see her she said she was sore between the top of her leg and private parts and could my wife get her some cream, my wife took a look and said my mother was sore and was very smelly and asked if she had been washed or showered and she said no, but was given a flannel to wash her face and top half. Today myself and my wife visited again the same time as yesterday 2.30 -5.00 pm. My mother said she had not been showered or washed and was given the same treatment i.e. a flannel to wash her face and upper body. my wife checked her again and she is still sore and smelt. My wife asked to discuss my mothers progress and mentioned the hygiene situation when she saw the sister. She said that my mother needed to do more for herself and get more mobile, and that she had been washed that day but while she stood there and the sister checked my mothers notes they had not been filled in. My mother said yesterday it was a woman who took her into the bathroom and today it was a man, neither washed her properly, how could they ?she was sitting on a blue plastic chair whilst they passed her the flannel and it would have been impossible for her to wash her private parts and it would have been very difficult and awkward and probably impossible for the staff to wash her private parts whilst sitting, the sister said my mother needs to get more mobile, surely having a shower would get her moving and most of all feel refreshed and clean. The sister also said they take in a special chair for the patient to sit on whilst having a shower, this is obviously too much like hard work for them. What is the point in a en suite which is not being used, looks good and impressive but of no use to the patient if no one is bothering to use it. The sister also asked how often she showered at home, and my wife said as often as possible so long as someone is there, what that has to do with her care in hospital i dont know , the sister pointed out the man who passed her the flannel today and then involved another nurse in the conversation which was all being discussed around the desk area it was very unprofessional and we feel very let down by the system. Toni.