"Avoid if possible"

Currently writing on behalf of a family relative (who is an inpatient as we speak). Where do i start... referred to hospital on a friday from Gp for suspected pneumonia. By monday, still no antibiotics, not really seen by a doctor properly. Being medical myself, i had to ring the ward myself to ask for antibiotics in which they then did. Chest drain inserted. Nurses kept clamping it off and letting it leak everywhere over night (5 times the bed was changed in the night. So no sleep at all and no one thought to open the drain as it was bypassing). When i rang back the next day and asked for an update, the nurse left the phone off the hook not muted and the sister in the background said in their words “ is that the granddaughter, oh we had problems with her yesterday”..

great shock when i confronted what they just said. 9 days to get a CT scan. Was told “ it would be today” everyday for 9 days. Aparently the radiologist kept taking her off the list or so we was told. Whilst all this was happening, my poor family watching her get worse and worse daily. No help on the ward, nurses not doing basic checks. She developed oral thrush and stoped eating but nurses didnt think to check why. Another phone call had to be made to tell a nurse that she had oral thrush and again, can she have some antibiotics. My relative was distressed by how unclean the ward was. Dirty floors, dirty tables and food trays, not many cleaners. So she was scared to eat. Finnaly had CT today and they left an elderly frail patient with a leaking chest drain sat in CT for three hours.. Three hours.

Her elderly husband went looking for her and found her distressed behind a curtain in CT. he pushed her back himself to the ward. No nurse on the ward apologised or even bought her a drink when she came back upset, uncomfortable and thirsty. I am so upset as a health proffessional myself how my close relative and family have been treated. Not to mention the F1 or F2 who spoke to my Mother in an awful manor on the ward when she wanted to know what was happening. I am certainly now worried for any of my other relatives to be treated here again. Being 150 miles away i could only call to chase what was happening and talk to my relatives who where there every day.