"Eden ward admission"

Good points: the nurse who works in the pre theatre admission area on Eden ward is amazing,they are kind, considerate, thoughtful but over worked and undersupported.

Bad points: the waiting area was dirty, lots of grey dog? hair all under the chairs, blood specks in the changing area where you get your gown and socks on. Waiting area hot, stuffy, hard plastic chairs, no blinds on windows for sun.

After surgery wheeled back to ward, left on bed with sides up and my buzzer fell on the floor, no way to get help and I needed the loo. No nurse came to take obs or see me, no water to drink and so thirsty. Eventually one walked by and I called out, the nurse helped me to the loo. My dinner arrived but I still hadn't been given a drink of water, I told the dinner staff and they went and got me a jug and glass. Later a staff nurse came and said remind me of your name I've come to do your obs. The nurse said I could change out of my gown but realised that my bag had not been given back to me, they went and got it and put it on the end of the bed then walked off.

2 assistants came and cleaned the bed next to me. I interupted their chat about a colleague they were discussing their possible sexuality, and I asked if the could please move my table so I could get out of the bed and pull my curtains round for me so I could change which they did.

At no point did any of these staff smile at me, ask me how I was, ask me if they could get me anything.

When I was ready to leave I needed my cannular removing, I asked a nurse at the desk and the nurse said they had to check if I was on their list, the nurse got their phone out of their pocket and it was flat with a blank screen, the nurse went off to get another and never returned.

The person giving me a lift home had a knee operation and could barely walk on crutches but they were asked to come up to the ward and I was told I could not leave if they did not. This upset me enormously - do you not have porters?

When my collecting person arrived at the ward they were nearly not allowed in because it wasn't visiting time even though they had been told to come, they were not told on the phone that there was a seating area right next to the ward doors to rest. I saw them and began to walk down from the desk when a nurse said you can't go down there you have to wait here for your cannular to be removed and we havent printed out your discharge form. I said well I am going down there because no-one has told my collecting person that they don't have to continue struggling to walk up here they can sit by the door to wait. We waited in the waiting area and the staff nurse who had to be reminded of my name earlier came to take the cannular out and give me my papers, their attitude was brusque.

I will never go back into this ward or recommend it unless changes to staffing levels and attitudes occur. I had a complete lack of human care, even the basics were missing The staff in the ward were gossiping about each other, the staff in theatre reception desk were moaning about job