"Information not provided"

This story has been posted by Healthwatch Tameside on behalf of a member of the public. We have their details and will forward any comments to them. They said…

I was admitted via A & E. I had bloods taken and waited in the outpatients waiting room for 4 hours. I was eventually admitted to AEU late in the evening and stayed overnight. Had more bloods taken and a scan, and I was told what was wrong with me. I was told I could go home. I asked if there was anything I needed to know about this condition, and was told ‘no’.

A couple of weeks later, I was very breathless and lacking in energy and could not climb the stairs. I had been very tired and breathless for a few weeks. I rang my doctor who looked on the computer to see the results of my last blood test taken when I was in hospital. It showed that my haemoglobin was very low, but no-one had got in touch with me or my doctor to say I needed it sorting out.

My doctor rang the hospital to say I was being sent in for a transfusion. I was feeling very drained. I had to wait in outpatients for at least 2 hours, for a cubicle to become available so I could be examined. Twice I asked for a cup of tea, but they were busy – I had no-one with me to get me a drink. I did not get anything to eat or drink until arriving on AEU at about 8pm – thank you care assistant (I had eaten/drunk nothing since breakfast at 8. 30am). One night we were all moved from AEU to MAU at 10. 30pm, because there were men waiting in the corridors on stretchers in A & E.

I hardly had any sleep for 2 nights through disturbances, including elderly patients who were confused and calling out through the night.

I saw three different medical staff on morning rounds. Only one of them gave me information whilst looking at me and giving eye contact. He told me clearly what would happen next, and said he would personally arrange the tests. The other doctors walked away talking to other staff about my condition, so I felt like I had very little value. Again I suppose that they were busy, but two minutes of face to face information is reassuring to a patient.

There was lack of continuity of care due to change of ward and change of staff during the night, although the move was made with as little fuss as possible. This seems to be something that often happens.