"Distressed by the care during my mum's stay in the Knapton Ward"

Mum was admitted with cellulitis earlier in 2014. She suffers from dementia, and with the change in surrounds really struggled to cope. Mum is the loveliest lady anyone could ever meet, funny loving and cares for everyone. I found that the staff (unfortunately the majority) on the Knapton ward were awful. I was visiting twice a day and witnessed some really rude impatient nurses. All the ladies needed a lot of attention & they were short staffed, but there are ways of talking to people. Politeness cost nothing, and goes a long way.

One night mum heard the lady opposite coughing and calling for the nurse. Her calls were ignored, so mum got out of bed to tell her not to worry and stroked her hand. A nurse then came, grabbed my mum hard and told her off, the next day she was black and blue. She cried constantly and it really did traumatise her. Never would I want to see her back there. I did ask if she could move wards as she was becoming more and more distressed. The sister said that patients are there to get better, (that's a laugh) not as a social event where they choose who they stay with.

I understand the pressures they're under but please don't enter the caring profession if it's not in you to care, it's not just a job. Mum has recently gone back in to hospital to the acute medical ward, what a difference! It restores your faith in the NHS. The staff are so polite, and courteous to all patients. They're just as busy but they care! The trolley tables are left in a reachable position, they have a cup to put the water in, just small things but when you're totally helpless those small things are very important.