"My Experience of Ward 7"

I had reason to visit Good Hope Hospital yesterday (05/01/2015) to visit my mother on Ward 7. She had been admitted on 03/01/2015. As I was walking towards my mother's bed I heard her say to a nurse that she needed help because she had an accident, and she and her bed needed changing. The nurse said she would get someone to attend to her. I was there for about an hour and half and it was only just as I was leaving that someone attended. This was after visiting the desk three times to ask for help and being told they would send someone to help as soon as they could. There was a changeover of shift but this should not have stopped someone attending to my mother's need. A member of staff did say to my wife and I that although they were well understaffed it was thought it was better that patients were in that ward than not admitted at all, to which we answered, there needs to be a certain level of care available to patients and if not then patients would be better off at home and being served by the community. Staff shortage was the reason given for the poor level of care, not only to my mother but every patient on Ward 7. Other family members visited on Sunday 04/01/2015 and experienced similar problems. I also noticed that there was a couple of bags of rubbish lying around, as well as tissues on the floor and underneath beds, and there was quite a few large stains on the floor. During the time I was there I saw no cleaners on Ward 7. My mother was also told that a mattress was on order for her but no time was given to when that might arrive. She has a history of bed sores and being left unchanged for well over an hour would not do her any good whatsoever.