"Absolutely dreadful place - more people should..."

What I liked

The staff we were directly involved with on the two occasions we've been there have been very polite and helpful

What could be improved

The doctors seem to spend more time looking at computers than treating patients, the nurses looked harrassed and irritated. The computer screens are like magnets and appear far more important than the patients. Waiting times were poor because the department looked completely disorganised on both occassions we visited at completely different times of the day. There is no 'flow' consistency, communication among staff or continuity. we didnt feel confident in the hospital and feel very strongly that many patients in there on our last visit would have been treated far more quickly and pleasantly at Rochdale Urgent Care. We will not go back to Oldham again unless we are unlucky enough forced there in an ambulance. On our previous visit, about a two weeks prior, we were horrified at the treatment of a very dehydrated old lady with a dementia type problem who had fallen. we were in the next cubicle and clearly heard a nurse/auxilary trying to give the lady a meal. The poor lady didnt know who she was, didnt think it was tea time, wanted a drink but couldnt have one until she'd eaten. We'd clearly heard the doctors and relatives discussing how she needed more fluids. This nurse/auxiliary was rude and impatient, totally unsympathetic to the old lady's mental state we clearly heard her say 'oh i cant be bothered with all this, if your not eating it its going in the bin' and so it did..and still no drink. Again, 'our' staff were helpful, polite and we felt very privileged but then we were in a position to answer back if we werent happy. but we couldnt wait to get out of there.

Anything else?

unwelcoming, austere (old fashioned word but cant think of anything more suitable) and an atrocious subsitute for the old Rochdale A&E the so called specialist A&E service is pie in the sky,