"Major Surgery"

Preop care was very good. Very informative and helpful. Fast efficient well coordinated and knowledgeable. Left feeling clear calm and confident 5 stars to Elliott ward!

Day of operation fast admission, express blood test again back on Elliott ward, where I was fast tracked as surgery was imminent- again 5 stars.

POCU nice well mannered good calming influence. Met with anaesthetist and assisting consultant surgeon all fantastic and very reassuring. 3 1/2 hours of surgery all fantastic.

Then all went downhill. Transferred to McCulloch ward from my post op trolley in the ward which was slightly awkward as there was little room to do this and it was a bit disruptive to everyone there as visiting was happening. Then settled down for the night with the normal regular checks and tests during the night. Alarms kept going off as most of the pumps and personal dispensers batteries were low and they weren't pluggged in.

There was a good clean if the ward first thing and cups of tea all round. Then came and he entourage of the ward round. All very pleasant although having 13 people behind a curtain plus me in bed with pumps all round was extremely snug.

To be told I was going home that day was a surprise. Everyone had beforehand led me to believe min 2 days in hospital if all goes well.

All the other patients were surprised too when we chatted afterwards. I explained that I needed to co-ordinate my transport as I had no home going clothes and I lived a life my way away. Then my surgeon came round to visit to see how I was doing. Again very reassuring. Everything went really well and I should be here I guess home tomorrow. That's more like it I thought.

Nurse in charge called staff into office for a chat.

I can only assume the battle cry had gone out. We've been told to move patients from trafalgar to McCulloch and McCulloch to trafalgar as the ward had been reassigned to surgery from Urology.

From that moment on patients care went on the back burner. patients being spoken across on the third person singular as if they weren't there. The nursing staff were obviously trying to do their best but a 'bean counter' upstairs needed to do some juggling.

I was discharged with no Physio assessment, no contact with community care (as they'd finished for a he day and there was a two hour gap between 4 & 6, morphine naive but with a syringe of oral morphine to administer for the 50 mile car journey, in considerable pain. My post operative plan issued by the hospital went out of the window as the nutritional drinks were not given in accordance with the plan. Discharged less than 24 hours after major kidney surgery.

What could have been a 5 star rating for the whole experience spoiled by management (as I see it)

When I'm fit and able there will be further investigation on this. Now I'm at home in considerable pain with my parner picking up a prescription very helpfully aided by the pre op team from Pembury and Maidstone for some morphine