"not really good experience"

What I liked

The only friendly person I met during the surgery was the anaesthesiologist, who tried to cheer me up before the operation.

What could be improved

I had a surgery in summer 2011 in the Royal United Hospital in Bath. I felt I was hugely ignored by the nurse who prepared me for the operation and was supposed to look after me after the surgery.

First of all the nurse didn't provide me the surgery stockings, although other patients were wearing them at the same ward. I don't know why but I also didn't ask for them, so I went to the surgery without them on.

After the operation I was put on the bed and the nurse hasn't approached me and came to see me a single time. I spent there 4 hours after the operation before they discharged me and she hasn't showed her sight during that time. When the pain became strong I had to call a nurse to give me pain killers. I saw other nurses coming to their patioents regulalrly and checking on them. I don't know why my case was different. So I had to ask nurses passing by to give me water, to help me sit down on the bed - it was terrible. And the nurses did help me but were really unhappy about me asking them, not sure either they assumed that I was already looked after or by some other reason. The attitude was not friendly at all, thankfully they at least did assist me in my requests.

Anything else?

More than that when my husband came to collect me I was so poor that I couldn't properly walk, so I had to lean on my husband and he was almost carrying me, and I heard comments behind my back from the nurses!!! Some said:"Oh, to that extend!" Meaning that I was pretending!! I felt really terrible. I was expecting a feedback form afterwards to tell about my bad experience hoping that they will take that into consideration to improve their attitude but never received one.

And another thing I also never saw a doctor after a surgery, not sure if it's normal, so no one ever asked me how I felt, was should happen to me and what to expect. I never ever after the surgery was contacted or asked. My surgery was not a major one - a laporoscopy, but major enough to feel poorly for about two weeks after it, so I think the attitude should be more serious as well.

Another thing that during the operation the doctor put me a catheter to pump out urine before the operation. I don't think it was done well because after the operation I couldn't wee for 8 hours, my bladder didn't seem to respond at all, which made me panic. I was relieved when after 8 hours I could finally squeeze something out but I really had to work hard. But the worse thing that 6 months later I still have to squeeze water. When I came to the doctor's appointment a month later and complained about discharges I got, he assumed that I got a BV and prescribed me antibiotics without even taking a smear test!

I overall I think the care service level is really poor both at the Hospital as well as the Fertility centre and I hope it will be reconsidered because I wouldn't wish to be treated there again.