"Gloucestershire Royal, good clinical care poor holistic care "

I visited my Grandfather recently on Rehab ward 2. I was upset to find that his hearing aids had not been put in correctly. He is completely deaf without them. It was 3pm when I arrived and he had not been able to hear all day. How can someone participate in their own care if they cannot hear? He hadn't the faintest idea what the nurses and Drs had told him all day: it could have been vital information regarding his care; his prognosis; an attempt to get him onboard with what needs to be done to get him well . . . . . he had no idea. I think because he was unresponsive (in their eyes) the nursing staff seemed to think he was completely confused and needed to be treated (as he put it to my Granny later that day “like a baby”. He said things were just done to him with no consent because they didn't bother to ask, for example he was spoon fed when he can feed himself.) If my Grandfather is a little confused at times this is only exacerbated terribly by not being able to hear, it would disorientate anybody.

Secondly he was apparently moved to that ward at night, when he was asleep. So, he went to sleep in one place and woke in another. Again, I believe this will only increase his confusion. I feel it’s so demeaning, the only other people we move about giving them no say in the matter are babies and prisoners, and my Grandfather is neither.

His clinical care may be excellent, but I don’t believe that’s not going to be enough to help him get better. I think these little things, the dignity issue, his general experience of being a patient, are not “extras”; they are the fundamentals of care. I feel getting them wrong means that my Grandfather has less chance of getting better.

I have been told by other family member that the nurses seem to be caring, particularly a Scottish sister. I am grateful for their kindness to my Grandfather but I'm angry that there's not more thoughtfulness.