"Hazel Ward"

My son and I where inpatients for Hazel Ward after delivering him at the delivery suite due to a complicated pregnancy and premature birth. I found the staff in Hazel Ward abrupt and detached from the work they are carrying out. After 8 months of worrying about your unborn baby, followed by a long 3 day induction process, I felt vulnerable, sore and emotional. All my partner and I wanted to do was go home with our beautiful baby but unfortunately, we needed to stay a little longer until my baby and myself where stable and ready for discharge. When we where transferred to Hazel Ward from the Delivery Suite, we where told that my husband could stay for the first night and sleep on the chair next to the bed however, he was denied a blanket to cover himself or a cup of tea regardless of the fact that we where transferred in the middle of the night and we had been awake for the past 4 nights. The cleaning staff would walk through the curtains ,at any time of the day, as if they weren't really there without asking for permission to come in to the minuscule space that we where given for privacy; it didn't really matter if I had just managed to soothe my baby and I was having a quick sleep whilst he slept, they just walked in as if the curtains didn't exist. Nursing auxiliaries, midwives and student midwives would help themselves to my breasts at any time of day or night, without asking if I needed any help or if I was happy to receive their help. Meals are announced through the tannoy, following this you have to quewe for your food and give your bed number, a system that mirrors that of a penitentiary system, to say the least. We found the staff to be very unapproachable and very regimented. Something I will never forget is how, a nursing auxiliary was more concerned about me dirtying a sheet when changing my baby's nappy, than assisting me or supporting me during a very tough night with a constant crying baby. The DAU and Delivery suite where faultless, extremely supportive and understanding as well as warm and professional but the staff and feel of Hazel Ward where the complete opposite which put a huge damper on our overall birthing experience.