"Poor care and knowledge"

A recent experience whilst an inpatient in the Bristol Royal Infirmary was appealing and has left a damaging memory for my relative. I do not want to give too many details as I am not putting the blame at the nurses but to the Executive Board.

My relative started on a medical ward and was transferred to surgery for a procedure. A catheter was fitted incorrectly initially on medicine and this resulted in trauma to the bladder and urethra. An infection quickly started and advice was sought but in vain. No one in the trust could answer the questions being asked. The catheter was the wrong type and size this was what the problem was. We were transferred to a surgical ward and things got worse. The catheter was not secured and got caught in the bars of the bed and yanked out. My relative was bleeding so a washout catheter was used. I was assured that the staff were trying to get hold of a special nurse on the phone I later found out he/she was not even working in this hospital so never came. 4 times the catheter was attempted to be inserted and no one again had a clue what they were doing. My relative was in immense pain and distress but still they kept trying to put in inappropriate catheters. Doctors and nurses alike were clueless. The staff were upset and said they didn't know what to do and didn't have the experience or training to deal with the situation.

I cannot believe that after all the reports, Keogh, Berwick etc that this trust which has a huge bed base has not got the infrastructure to deal with patients with serious conditions requiring management of urinary issues. I will be sending a letter to the CQC and patient support groups. I do not want identification as I do not want the nurses to be blamed for what they have told me as at the end of the day it is not their faults.