"Most staff kind, a few took little interest"

My wife was sent by ambulance to A&E with suspected heart problems (fortunately not the case).

Arrived at 10 pm and had ECG and blood tests carried out which appeared to be OK. Told to stay in overnight for further tests to confirm. Finally moved from A&E trolley to emergency medical ward at 2 am then moved again at 4 am. More blood taken at 5.30 am, but labelled incorrectly so another lot taken shortly afterwards.

Told at 8.30 am that test were all OK but they wanted to do another ECG just to make sure heart still stable, and that a satisfactory result would mean her going home. This took another 2 hours to arrange. Then told that the doctor was writing a letter which we were to take with us. After another 2 hours of waiting (and asking) we finally left without the letter which they promised to send by mail, at mid-day.

Most of the staff were kind and helpful - the young doctor in A&E particularly so as was the staff nurse on the Emergency Medical Ward. But a very small number showed little interest in the patient or their part in the process. Despite most of the staff with whom we had contact being remarkably pleasant and communicative as individuals, it felt as if the overall process was 90% devised towards the convenience of the staff and little to do with the needs, desires, comfort or convenience of the patient and their family.

Finally I would mention the ward cleaner from Serco who came onto the ward mid morning. He swept the floor, then used a mop and bucket to swish around the middle of the ward. He went nowhere near the beds, corners or more difficult parts to reach. He even mopped around the feet of a nurse who did not move out of his way.

No one attempted to supervise him and he seemed to have little interest in what he was doing. No one picked him up on his poor standard of work. The hospital are paying Serco for him to do this work and they should make sure they are getting what they pay for.