"In hospital and dirty for a week after mountain bike accident"

Last March I had a biking accident in North Wales. Whilst the ambulance guys and nursing staff tried to do great job, but the whole experience was frankly shocking and my mother, a nurse of many years, was disgusted.

My accident took place on the Sunday afternoon after a full day's riding. I was admitted to Bangor Hospital that evening with a serious knee wound. Unable to get me into surgery that night, the nursing staff did their best to clean and dress the wound in the earlier hours.

I was told I would be in surgery the next morning, however late that afternoon (monday) I was still lying on my bed waiting for news in my cycling gear...covered in mud and sweat. I had to ask for a gown and was then left to get undressed myself.

On the Tuesday morning I was told I would be in surgery that day, I was asked if I wanted to have a wash on the rounds...I was left with a bowl of water, paper towel and a bar of soap...not a great help when I could'nt move much without excruciating pain.

Anyway after 3 days, two operations and limited information from the consultants, I was desperate to go home. Following my second operation (Friday), I was moved to a private room, but it became apparent that no one knew I was there. By complete chance one of the consultants who had dealt with me passed the door and after attracting his attention he was good enough to find my paperwork and arrange for my "release"...I have never been in prision, but I now know the feeling of getting out after 5 years :)

My parents picked me up (as I live in Warwick, 3 hours away), after a week of being in hospital and not washing properly I was keen to shower. Unfortunately due to the pain and my inability to move freely with a full leg splint, my mother had to help...she was appalled to find me and especially my legs (including the injured one) still covered in mud and surgical antiseptic.

I am totally unsurprised about MRSA and the deaths caused in hospitals after my experience. My cleanliness or total lack of it was a serious threat to my health and that of the other patients around me. It has been a year since my stay and this log could easily be 3x longer with other damning comments if I had known about this website earlier, but to be frank I will probably go private next time (god help me there won't be a next time).

It was obvious that primary staff or post care staff did not have resources, support, systems or processes to provide an adequate level of care. I have no idea where the money invested in the NHS has gone, it is a shame.