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What could be improved

Staffing Levels

Professionalism

Communication

Management

Anything else?

My experience is that of a primary carer for a family member with complex chronic health needs. I have spent far too much time in this hospital over the years and find little to recommend it. My impression is that it is under-resourced and badly organised, with poor communication at all levels - between wards, between staff, between professions and particularly with patients. The hospital is certainly much cleaner now than it has been, but I still see the odd patch of dirt or discarded dressing lying on the floor all day. Staff are still not attentive enough to their hand hygiene.

As others have commented, the clinical staff are not uniformly excellent. There is a core of highly professional, over-worked staff who are blighted by slackers. Care on the wards is mixed - I have seen patients not being assisted with eating so that they go hungry. On one occasion, a family member wasn't washed during their several week stay and absolutely stank when I finally got them out of the place. It would not surprise me if some of the older and more vulnerable patients suffer a greater mortality rate due to inadequate basic care.

During a recent stay, some investigations were not recorded and it has been very difficult obtaining a diagnosis, prognosis, estimated discharge or indeed, which doctor is in charge.

I have little confidence in this facility.