"Not Impressed"

My father was recently admitted to Newham Hospital and had a cardiac arrest on site.

He was revived and moved into Intensive Care.

I appreciate that there is a nursing shortage so we saw many nursers over the few days he was in there.

Most of the nurses were kind and helpful but some were patronising and indifferent and spoke to my father like an idiot.

We were also given contradictory information or none at all so for anybody reading this please be aware that following a cariac arrest the main piece of information you need to be aware of is the extent of the brain damage sustained. My main gripe is with the 'care' he received once he was moved on to the stroke ward to die.

My sister was told that we could stay the night at the hospital.

When we requested a camp bed we were laughted at and told this should have been sorted for us during the day. Had he not died that night we would have spent all night awake in the chairs; when you are waiting for someone you love more than your own life to die, sitting up all night is going to be the longest night in your life. This was an unacceptable way to treat visitors.

I also found the staff on this unit to be on the whole indifferent and cold. The genuinely kind and passionate nurses stand out like a sore thumb. I am so grateful that my father was with his family when he died; I would hate to be alone and pass away in Newham hospital.

I can understand now why so many elderly patients are terrified of going into hospital.