"Could do better and needs to improve its..."

What I liked

Most of the nursing staff were doing a good job although wards are terribly undermanned.

What could be improved

More hands on nursing for disabled patients who need assistance with everything they do. Even the stroke unit was left understaffed at times especially during the night.

Anything else?

My wife is diabetic as well as a long term stroke victim and suffered too many hypo's during her stay (10 days). There seemed to be no inclination to address this problem and dosage was left at levels used at home before her latest bout of illness. As she was eating less and being sick I find it astonishing that her medication was left at the same levels. The doctors at this hospital need to be trained in communications with patients and their carers/family. Although my enquiries were answered I feel that the attitude still remains offhand and a little distant. There are lots of 'mission statements' affixed to the walls about putting patients first but this is worthless if the medical staff do not put the fine words into action. My wife has been admitted to this hospital on a number of occasions over the past 15 years and I thought that care had improved but the ethos of the hierarchy seems to be still off the mark. Many of the nurses do their best despite the lack of support but it all comes down from the top and this hospital is still way below the standard I would expect. Even her transfer to another hospital was a shambles and I was not informed of her sudden move. I did know that they were looking to move her but only found out from her carer who was there when the ambulance arrived to take her to another hospital. This has happened before to us when she was being discharged on a previous occasion. No communication is a speciality here.