"I was treated for breast cancer ..."

What I liked

I was treated for breast cancer from Nov 07 to July 08. Good points include several very caring oncologists and the complementary health team. Surgeons are good technicians. There's an excellent pilot project - telephone follow up for patients who have finished breast or prostate cancer. The wig service is very sensitive and helpful.

What could be improved

Cleanliness on the wards (a lady weed on the floor in the night and it was only thanks to a fellow patient that it was finally cleaned up the following morning). I saw the same dirty towel on the bathroom floor all the time I was there (Sarah Ward, two nights). The day surgery unit isn't open for long enough. I was operated on late in the afternoon and was discharged very shortly afterwards because they were closing. I started bleeding and had to go to Lewisham Casualty. Communication could be better and there could be more compassion - I must have seen upwards of 15 docs and many more nurses - many were "burnt out" and had little training in communication. Breast care nurses are thin on the ground - there's no key worker to turn to. Patient dignity could be better - staff sometimes barge into consulting rooms when you're half naked. The radiology workers are brusque and overworked - they can forget they're dealing with human beings.

Anything else?

Guy's is a good hospital medically - but it's not patient focused and the care is not holistic.