"Would not recommend this place to anyone..."

What I liked

In day surgery, one of the nurses is an absolute gem. They know exactly how to handle patients. Patient care is an art, not a science. I really cannot find anything else good about this hospital. Everything is old, dirty, smelly, noisy.

Do not be fooled into thinking you're choosing a posh hospital because of its location, this is a hell hole. See below as to why!

Also to be recognised, the doctor who treated me knows his stuff. He's probably the only one who actually knew what was going on, what needed to be done, etc.. wish he'd performed the op 5 months ago, but only saw him as part of a follow up visit.

What could be improved

This hospital is just a complete horror story. The way doctors treat you, that's if they can be bothered to come see you is just patronising, impersonal and completely not in line with anything the patient says. I came in with a blown appendix 5 months ago (november 2010). They cut me up in the usual appendectomy spot only to find a tennis sized formation beneath it. So they performed a laparotomy (vertical cut from the belly button down about 6-8 inches) to be able to drain this formation. Why they needed to cut me up vertically to stick a tube in below my appendix is still beyond me. After 19 days, they finally let me out. They effectively tortured me with this procedure. I suffered multiple wound infections, followed by pain, backpain as a result of lying down, lost 17 pounds (i'm only 12.5 stone, 6ft). Lack of information as to what had happened to me, lack of post op care (i was put in the private ward thinking i would get better care, they stuck me in the cancer ward where they were not used to surgery patients). There was constant noise, they would not let you sleep (coming in every 4 hours), gave me antibiotics that made me violently sick (remember I had staples on my stomach). During this entire period, nobody could tell me exactly what happened to me and whether my appendix was still there. They sent me home after 19 days and saw me every 3 weeks approx. 5 months later I was back in as the vertical wound would not close. They re-opened me, got rid of some bits inside that were preventing closure (where did they come from i ask), and saw my appendix that had blown 5 months ago but was still visible and almost full size, but surrounded by, I quote, a blob of of angry hard tissue. You'd think they'd remove it while they were there, but no they left it there. I woke up from surgery on Tuesday in agony on the same spot (appendix) I came in for 5 months prior. So I'm now left with a 'dodgy' appendix, and 2 horrible scars. cont. below

Anything else?

I will now have to wait for another episode of 'appendicitis' to go to a&e and have it removed, or prevent it with elective surgery and this means quite some time on a waiting list basically. I have tried to summarize 5 months of absolute horror, I can't wait for someone to shut this place down. My sister lives a few streets away from the hospital and is pregnant, she will not be going there. She's going to UCLH near Euston which is sooo much better. As a side note, the Consultant needs to get off his high horse and stop treating people like idiots. He has never given me any re-assuring news, or useful information, and he and his team have essentially left me in the same state I was in 5 months ago, minus some inflammation/pus.

I cannot stress this enough, please don't take this feedback as someone who has it in for someone in particular. There's no way I can capture my entire experience here, but this place is to be avoided.

Please please, avoid this hospital, it's bad news. I wish you nothing but luck if you end up here.