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Care Opinion

Not allowed to sit with my Wife

Posted By Colin g

"Not allowed to sit with my Wife"

About: University Hospital Wishaw

(as a service user),

I brought my wife up with a serious illness and I can understand when the doctor is in the department then I would have to leave the room. I can understand this but I was told to leave the room until my wife had been assessed which is fine but 40 mins had went by so I asked the member of staff that said I was to sit in the waiting room if I could go in and sit with my wife and they said the doctor is coming round and I was to sit in the waiting room still.

Now the doctor isn’t even in the room and now it’s been over an hour but I’m not aloud sit and keep my wife a bit calmer. This is the ambulated care ward. The last time I was here with my wife I wasn’t aloud in at all I think whatever you’s are doing at the hospital it’s not to keep the patients calm and comfortable and the excuse of other people might not want other people to listen to what they are saying to the doctor, yeah that’s ok but the doctor isn’t even in and hasn’t been in at all. 

I think that family members should be allowed to sit with the patient. I feel disappointed that the staff weren't very helpful to me.

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Responses

Response from Andy Pender, Senior Nurse, Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Wishaw, NHS Lanarkshire 6 years ago
Andy Pender
Senior Nurse, Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Wishaw,
NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 10/11/2017 at 13:43
Published on Care Opinion at 15:43

picture of Andy Pender

Dear Colin g,


Thank you for taking the time to post your experience while your wife attended the Ambulatory Emergency Care Unit.

Within AECU it can be challenging to balance the need for confidentiality and being sensitive to the needs of all patients particularly when not only the doctors but the nurses are providing care and obtaining personal information from patients. We really rely on the cooperation of all staff and visitors and for us to work together for the best interest of the patient.

You have mentioned that there were no doctors within the room however the nursing staff may have required the room to be free from visitors to provide care or indeed take a medical history from new patients. This should have been explained to you and I am sorry that this may not have been made clearer to you.

I am really sorry that you have found that we have not met you or your wife's individual needs and I would like to reassure you that we are working to make sure all patients views are taken into consideration and that the staff who work in AECU will continue to work towards achieving the best solution for all.

Please accept my apologies that you did not find the staff helpful. I will ensure I speak with the Senior Charge Nurse in respect to this.

Best wishes

Andy

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Colin g (a service user)

The staff told me I was not allowed in as the doctor was coming round. The way they spoke to me and my wife was a disgrace. If staff treat the public with respect, in turn, they will receive it back.

As I stated, over an hour before I was even allowed in and I was watching, the doctor was only in at the most ten minutes and left. It is not right to treat people the way we got treated. The consultant that came in to see my wife said a couple of words to her then left, no help at all until she was moved to ward 6.

When I did get in I was only in 5 minutes and the consultant came in and said to my wife that they couldn’t do anything and then had the cheek to say to me they needed the room again in a tone that was not acceptable.

Also, your apology is not accepted as it wasn’t you that caused this issue and the apology should be given to my wife for the issues you gave her.

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