"My initial treatment was very good,..."

What I liked

My initial treatment was very good, following a heart attack, l had a stent procedure, and recovered in CCU.

I was sent down to a ward with little info, and it was only after l had a severe dizzy attack it was discovered that my blood preasure had dropped very low, l was made to feel a nuisance by the night staff. I was re-admitted to CCU, where l was given fluid treatment and oxygen.

I had pain in my shoulder, which was believed to be a referred pain from either liver or gallstones. An ultrasound was ordered, l never did get any treatment relating to this, blood tests did show a problem with my liver. After a 3 day wait this seemed to resolve itself, l then developed a lump on the site of my stent procedure, an ultrasound was ordered for this, it did'nt happened when it should have. Transpires that the ultrasound dept, did not have enough porters to collect me from the ward. The doctor took me in the end. 4 days l was there just waiting for treatment, l witnessed a 84yr old bullied, by a SN, and l was racially abused by one of the catering staff. Doctors were brilliant, and most of the nursing staff, the rest of the staff left a great deal to be desired.

What could be improved

Sort out the Ancillory staff, we had a porter come to the ward, he was petulant and sullen and announced he would rather be down the pub, this was at 10.45!. For the most the catering staff were charming, but whilst in CCU some sullen woman told me to hurry up and make up my mind because she was busy. And when on the ward, when l questioned one of the items on the menu, was told by the catering member, "you tell me what the meal is, you people eat it, after all you are white and l am black. I did point out that as a member of the company supplying the food, l expected her to know what it consisted of and nothing to do with someones colour, she did apologise then.

She then went on to shout at a nurse, who had the temerity to ask for food for a patient who had missed lunch, happily l did not see this woman again.

The only incident that caused me real concern was a staff nurse, who haranged an elderly lady, who did not happen to know her current GP's name. The lady had recently moved to be with her daughter, this went on for 2 hours, IMO was distressing the patient. The nurse then smirked round at myself and another patient, as if we were some appreciative audience, it achieved nothing, and eventually the lady was "allowed" to leave. This delayed pharmacy being told of her discharge, and resulted in the woman being dispatched to wait for a lift at 7pm when she was due to leave at 4pm.

Anything else?

Not really. As said previously the Doctor's try their best for the patients, most of the nusing staff seem dedicated it's a pity that the rest of the staff seem chaotic and dysfunctional.