"Lack of dignity and respect."

I sufferer from Bowel obstructions due to adhesions in a results of surgery in my abdomen.

When my bowels get obstructed I experience severe pain, profuse vomiting and lots of distress.

Recently I woke up at around 2 am with pain in my abdomen and nausea. I was taken immediately to Norwich and Norfolk University Hospital by my partner.

In Accident and Emergency Department I was left to lay on the hard benches for hour with severe pain and distress and violent vomiting.

No one there appeared to care and everyone just was looking at me and was bypassing. No one there showed as medical professional duty of care.

No information was given to me about my condition neither about my treatment.

The only little information I had, came from a doctor, who came to A&E to quickly check on me, and inform me that the X ray shows an obstruction and I will be inserted NG tube.

No discussion had taken place regarding my treatment or consent taken from me if I am happy with the treatment offered. I just was informed.

The doctor appeared to be in a rush with an attitude which was more patronising and arrogant, than respectful and caring.

I thought that was only my opinion but my partner shared the same feelings he get from this doctor.

Later on when I was taken to Medical Assessment Ward - Easton Ward- No doctor came to assess me or neither to discuss with me my treatment.

That last for around 12 hours.

Suddenly the night nurse met me on my way to my bed and told me that I have to go to my bed, because she has to insert NG tube in my stomach.

I told her that, no NG tube will be inserted in my stomach, as nothing had been discussed with me regarding my treatment and my condition was not assessed by GP since 7 am and the time then was around 9pm for more than 14 hours.

I told her that it is not acceptable for the treatment not to be discussed with the patient and before any procedure consent should be taken.

She then said that the procedure had been ordered by the doctor and I asked her which doctor.

She told me the name of the person who was my consultant.

I told her that I dont know who this doctor is as they had never come to see me that day neither to assess my condition so how then did this doctor know I need NG tube.

Then the first doctor interfered and said that they had informed the second doctor about my condition, and thats why the NG tube had been prescribed.

Again I told the nurse and doctor that no Doctor has right to prescribes treatment without even to examine or see the patient and/or discuss the treatment with them.

I also told them that I still have mental capacity to decline or give consent for how I would like to be treated medically and I also would like to be given a choice and to be treated with dignity and respect.

The first doctor repeated that the second doctor had been informed about my condition and thats why they decided for me to get NG tube inserted into my stomach.

Then I asked The first doctor how they knows what my condition is and give information to the second doctor, if he didn't come to assess me since 7 am in the morning.

My condition changed for those 12 hours and therefore the wrong information was given to the second doctor.

The doctor said that they have been very busy and have many patients.

I accepted that they might have been very busy, but that should not mean that they should neglect me and mistreat me, not updating their information about the changes in my condition and prescribing wrong treatment.

I told them that I felt discriminated and treated differently.

The doctor and the nurse said that they treat everyone in a same way.

I asked why then they had time for other patients but had no time for me and why the doctor choose me not to have time for me.

We concluded the conversation with that I am not having NG tube as I don't need it or want it anymore.

I was left very disappointed and upset by the different treatment I received and that the doctor had time for his other patients but not for me.

However it was very difficult for me to accept that the doctor was that busy and unable to come and update the information about my condition, because I personally have seen the doctor several times staying on the nursing station outside the bay where my bed was. The doctor never enter in or came to my bed to re-assess my condition or speaks to me. That made me think the doctor intentionally ignored me.

Therefore I do not accept the excuses that they were very busy and thats why they did not have time to come and check on the changes in my condition and misleaded the second doctor. I felt neglected, bullied into treatment that was not discussed with me and was even not necessary any longer.

I also felt ignored by the staff on the ward as no one spoke to me or gave me more information about my condition, possible treatments and outcomes. One of the nurses checked several times on my request if something had been written in my notes but nothing had been written by the doctors for almost all day.

I also felt that the staff on Easton Ward changed their attitude towards me and became very rude to me after I complain and fought for my rights to the extent one of the nurses snapped at me that if I dont like it I can leave.

I am health care professional myself and I have duty of care for my patients and NMC code of conduct to obey to.

I felt the staff in A&E and Easton ward failed their duty of care when they had to take care of me in the time when I was most vulnerable.

I hope something will be done and something will change so all patients will be treated the same way with same respect and dignity, because that was not the case with me.

I was left bruised and battered from my experience from A&E and Easton Ward in NNUH.

I hope the Directors board of the Hospital will do something to improve the level of care so no more patients will be treated in the careless way I was treated.