"Personal experiences in Watford General Hospital re 1. initial ward care and 2. discharge procedure"

I am a man in his 80s who would like to make it clear that the following is not intended to be a complaint against the Watford General Hospital or any of its staff. It is intended merely as a description of two of my recent experiences which I believe should be taken into account in the future training of all staff concerned with the care of the sick.

Background

I recently accompanied my wife who is also in her 80s in an ambulance to the hospital where she was later admitted suffering from Pneumonia and Pleurisy. Whilst there, because I too had been suffering from a chest infection, I self-referred myself for admission as I felt so ill. After I was eventually assessed by a triage nurse, I was taken for an X-ray and then returned to the corridor where my wife was waiting and from which both of us were in due course wheeled into neighbouring beds in A&E. After some hours I was taken an acute infection ward.

Issue 1

In this ward, I was put into a bed although no attempt was made to remove my shoes or any of my clothes nor to cover me with a blanket. At the time I felt too ill to do anything about it but some 24 hours later when I complained I was cold, someone did cover me although I was still left fully dressed with my trousers, socks and shoes and this continued until my discharge. The usual bp, blood temperature and blood sugar checks etc were made at intervals over that time and when a doctor and his team eventually came to see me, I was told I had pneumonia and would be put on a 5 day course of medication and given a timed nebuliser to help improve my breathing.

Issue 2

Whilst the team was with me, they told me they were thinking of discharging me in a few more hours although when I said I really felt too ill to go home so quickly, they then said they would arrange to reassess me later. 36 hours after being admitted I was advised I was to be discharged although no-one sought to establish where I would go, how I would cope and who would be available to look after me.

As it so happens, I was able to phone my daughter who came to collect me and to stay with my son for the following 10 days where I remained quite unwell. How I would have coped without this family support I really do not know. Surely and particularly with the elderly, those concerned with us as patients have an obligation to ensure that people like me are suitably cared for once they leave the hospital. This clearly did not happen in my case.

I wish to repeat this is not intended as a complaint against either the hospital or its staff who I am well aware are working under extreme pressure particularly at this time of year. In summary, it is simply a call on those concerned to ensure that all staff training includes the requirement that:

1. All patients receive elementary care and attention when first admitted to a ward and

2. Once due to be discharged, proper details are taken from them particularly the elderly, so that they are assured of proper care and attention after they leave the hospital environment. I am pleased to report that this did happen when my wife who was the one first admitted in our case, was finally discharged at the end of her second week.

I hope the hospital will accept these comments in the spirit in which they are intended and will not seek to discipline any staff members.