"experience in Clacton Hospital urology, staffing & possible resolution"

An elderly patient rang her bell. She was vomiting but needed a bed pan. After 5mins she rang her bell again. By this time she was crying Oh I don't want to mess the bed! Help me! Please someone help me!  After ten minutes she rang the bell several times. I was unwell myself and apart from letting her know I was there and she wasn't alone, I couldn't help her. After ten minutes (I checked the time) a nurse rushed in and the lady was sobbing saying, I rang ten minutes ago. The nurse replied in a very loud voice Rubbish Mrs xxx it's not been ten minutes! "And then the nurse glanced at me and I calmly said It's been OVER ten minutes.

The tests I was told I'd have were never provided and I asked to see a doctor. Several times. I was taking my own meds only. Eventually I knew a doctor was in the ward. I hijacked the doctor explaining how distressing I found the lack of care for my fellow patients. And myself. It was hot &smelly too and the aircond wasn't working which the doctor commented on. The doctor seemed to agree and was aware nursing care & testing was lacking and very sympathetically asked if I'd prefer to go home.

I accepted a discharge because it upset me seeing such very ill, vulnerable patients being ignored. I'm upset for the staff too! And worse. I'm still ill. The infections are constant. I'm pretty much bedridden except when I take enough pain meds (prescribed narcotics) that take the edge off the pain & I try to enjoy those couple of hours. They're a temporary help. Only to have my kind GP warning me about the addictive quality of my meds & asking me to reduce them. If only someone would get to the root cause of my infection I'd be thrilled to be free of those drugs.

When I went to the urology department (suggested by Colchester Hospital to my GP) later with the same illness, twice I was told that due to an emergency (the doctor hadn't arrived) There'd be at least a two hour wait. I explained how I couldn't sit that long and needed to lay flat, the receptionist suggested I postpone my appointment. Which I had to do twice. Another appointment never arrived. Almost two years later I discovered it was in my notes that I hadn't shown up for the appointment! Twice.

The blame was on me so no appointment was forthcoming. Not true. I do want to say that after writing about another problem on this forum about this same illness, I've been kindly offered a potential solution which I'll follow up. So this is an excellent forum to use to get the help you need.