I am an adult with a Learning disability and I am telling you my story with the help of a friend and my self-advocacy group co-ordinator.
A few months ago I was transferred from my local hospital to the Transplant ward at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. When I am in my local hospital I have my friends and family near and the nurses speak to me, which helps me cope being in hospital.
Edinburgh is a long way from my home, family and friends and I feel very lonely and worried. I feel the staff did not have time for me, I had to wait a long time for pain killers and they were always busy with other patients. They said they did not hear me when I spoke to them. They never came to check on me. I feel they do not understand people with learning disabilities.
My local hospital are busy too but they tell me what they are doing and will come back to me later.
I asked if the learning disability nurse would come to see me. I asked the learning disability nurse to speak to the nurses on the ward, but nothing changed.
Another problem I had was the food, I did not like it and was not allowed to ask for something else. There was no one living nearby who could bring me something I liked to eat. I need to eat to get better.
I know nurses and doctors are busy but I want you to understand how I feel and help me and other patients with learning disabilities when they come to the hospital. I do not want to come back but know I may have to one day.
When a patient with a learning disability is admitted they should be seen by a learning disability nurse or learning disability champion as soon as they go in and not a few days later or if there is a problem. If my special needs can be discussed and written in my nursing notes when I am admitted it will help all the staff understand me better and make my time in hospital much better.
Please talk to people with learning disabilities, We would like to know what is going on and get to know the people who care for us. Please tell me your name.
If you can work to do this it would help me and many others with a learning disability feel cared for and treated the same as everyone else
Thank you for reading my story
"Adults with a learning disability"
About: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France Edinburgh EH16 4SA
Posted by Unhappy and hungry’ (as ),
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Update posted by Unhappy and hungry’ (a friend) 8 years ago
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