"I was treated with courtesy in ..."

What I liked

I was treated with courtesy in respect in A&E by everyone.

In the Medical Assessment Unit there were a couple of outstanding individuals amongst the nursing team and the medical staff treated me with courtesy, respect and gave me all of the information I needed.

What could be improved

On the MAU, hand hygiene, general hygiene by the nursing staff was very, very poor. I observed some horrific practices with regard to hygiene generally.

I became invisible and felt patronised. I was talked over, heard other patients in other bays referred to in extremely derogatory ways by the nursing and ancillary staff.

Nursing staff swearing, crying becuase they'd been told off for having bad atitudes by colleagues. Not things you want to hear. I didn't feel they inspired or instilled trust and conifdence.

The ward manager never made it to speak to my about my concerns before I left the ward, despite my asking three times to see her.

Would I recommend this hospital to a friend? No.

Would I choose to go there for routine tests or procedures? No.

Anything else?

I'm was disappointed to see the attitudes displayed by the staff om MAU at Aintree.

When I observed other patients express disatisfaction, it was taken as a personal insult by staff.

There appearred to be an entrenched, adverserial relationship between some members of the staff and the people they are there to care for and offer support to. There are very traditional old style values of you'll get what you're given and you will be grateful for it.

Whilst I accept that in any large organisation there are good and not so good members of staff, this department did appear to have an over-representation of the latter.

Whilst I accept that people are busy, that does not mean that kindness or basic prinicples ot hygiene should be forgotten.

Whilst I acknowledge that this is a place or work and the staff will chat to each other about their lives, this does not mean I want to hear every sordid swear word of it.

Whilst I accept that caring for people is stressful, demanding and that they can push your patience to the limit - this does not mean you should breach their confidence and stand at the end of the bed talking about them.

Colleagues, for sadly that's what the people caring for me where, NHS colleagues, I put this to you: If you can't do your job with good grace - question whether you should be there at all.