"Lack of communication between departments"

Following readmission for heart problems following the fitting of a pacemaker we had a great deal of trouble finding out what was being done for six different problems that my father suffered. No one seemed to know anything, they complained they couldn't read each other's handwriting on handover.

Arrangements we made with staff that couldn't be carried out during their shift weren't passed onto the person taking over. We had to contact the consultant directly and express our frustrations about this in order to be listened to, or to have anything explained. While critical care is superb, I feel that once you are back on the ward you feel completely overlooked and everyone is too busy to help or explain. It feels as if there is absolutely NO continuity of care whatsoever, and inadequate attempts made to contact intermediary care so that patient could be supported when they were discharged. Without family on hand, this patient would have had to stay in hospital much longer and/or would have been readmitted within a couple of days.