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Concerned about basic nursing care of my mother

Posted By smallmother

"Concerned about basic nursing care of my mother"

About: Royal Alexandra Hospital / Trauma & orthopaedics (wards 21-23)

(as a relative),

My mother has fracture of pelvis, was moved from acute medical to Ward 5 for rehabilitation. She is confused but can still converse and has her sense of humour.

She also had urine infection. I told staff she drink a lot of coke, lemonade, tea etc and could they make sure she has a bottle on her bed tray that she can reach as she is immobile and can't reach her locker. I bought drinks for her the first night I visited, my brother visited the following night… nothing to drink, he went out and bought 6 small bottles of coke.

I visited the next night… nothing to drink. I bought 5 bottles… went up the following night… NOTHING TO DRINK AGAIN.

I didn't think she could possibly have had 5 bottles during the course of the day. One of the other visitors told me to look behind her locker…there were ELEVEN bottles in the lower shelves and she had nothing in front of her. The evening auxiliaries had told me she was looking at the drinks on everyone else's locker and asking for them.

This is happening every single visit despite having made it clear to staff that she drinks a lot. Again, last night my niece visited and nothing for her again. I also changed her pyjamas and found her meds (pills) in her bed where she is being given them… a confused patient and not being supervised actually swallowing them?

I called to speak with the ward sister but she didn't call me back. I will be making an official complaint about this lack of care. Everyone else has their biscuits, juice etc displayed and hers are hidden and being immobile she can't reach them anyway.

There does seem to be a lack of nurses but they find time to talk to each other as far as I can see… perhaps they could actually look at what's happening with their patients? She may have dementia… she's still a person and her needs are as important as anyone else's.

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Responses

Response from Lorna Fairlie, Patient Experience, Public Involvement Project Manager, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 9 years ago
Lorna Fairlie
Patient Experience, Public Involvement Project Manager,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

I work in a small team in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde which seeks to involve patients and carers in the work of the NHS. The biggest part of my role is in managing feedback projects across the Board area, one of which is Patient Opinion. It is my job to give our patients and carers the opportunity to give us feedback, and to make sure that this is passed to the right people to help us improve the services we provide.

Submitted on 22/12/2014 at 10:42
Published on Care Opinion at 17:25

Dear smallmother,

I am very concerned to read your account of your mother’s experience during her time on this ward so far – I’m sorry that she has not been given easy access to the drinks you have brought for her, but also that members of staff haven’t got back to you when you have raised these concerns. I have already passed to the General Manager of this service who is looking into this and will take immediate action to rectify the situation. He also asks that if you see no immediate improvement, you should call the Lead Nurse, Ann Conaghan, on 314 6766/ 314 7104.

Best Wishes,

Lorna

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