"I have been in and out of the hospital..."

What could be improved

I have been in and out of the hospital for the past two years with a complex back problem that ended in a major operation in 2007.

When I first visited A&E with this problem although I was treated with compassion by the staff the majority of the time I was left to walk to the exit without an offer of a wheelchair even though it was obvious that every step I took was making me cry in agony. One sweet student nurse eventually noticed me clinging to the wall crying and offered me a chair.

My original surgeon on the spinal team has to be the most patronising person I have ever met, more interested in talking to my husband than me. Eventually I changed surgeons out of fear I would hit the first one in frustration at not being listened to.

Due to the time I had to wait for my op I had developed a tolerance to painkillers, which the aneathetist trying to control my post op pain informed my mother was my fault and that if I hadnt been talking painkillers they wouldnt have the problems they were. The implication beeing that I should have suffered for 5 months without taking painkillers.

Overall with the exception of one nurse from the pain department who actually took the time to talk to me and discuss how I felt and allow me to have a say in planning my pain relief etc I felt ignored, patronised and generally as if I was a nucience to the staff. The pain and truama I experienced is such that I now can not go near the hospital without having a panic attack.

Anything else?

I visited the Colposcopy clinic whilst being treated for spinal problems due to a cancer scare and can not speak highly enough of the staff in this department.

They were compassionate, caring, reassuring and kind. The staff new about my panic attacks and as a result they had a nurse in the room simply to hold my hand during a biopsy and distract me. The staff listened to my concerns and made me feel a part of my treatment. They were aware of my spinal problems and always made sure that I was comfortable before starting treatment and would keep checking that I was still ok. The consultant on this department was also wonderful, listening to me when I explained my fears of the hospital and taking my preferences for a General Aneasthetic into account and not patronising me at all.

This department department should give training to all the other departments of the hospital on how to treat patients. They are the gold standard in patient care and no member of staff should be allowed within 50 miles of a patient before serving time under these wonderful staff and learning to treat patients like they do.