"Shocking and Appalling and we would never..."

What I liked

I took my husband to the A& E at around 8.30am and at 1.00 in the afternoon he was diagnosed with Pneumonia and we were told that he is going to be transferred to a ward where they will start the medication.

Until aroung 16.30 he wasn't given any medication or anitbiotics and his condition worsened and his heart rate went high and he was struggling to breath and had to ask for the antibiotics wen he was told that they were plannig to start the medication at around 18.00hours. He condition worsened in the night and he could not even walk and when he called for a doctor in the night it took ages for a doctor to come and he had to adjust the oxygen settings himself to aid his breathing. He was told that he may have to be transffered to London Chest.

Nextmorning I went and asked as to whether I could speak to a doctor or a consultant about the transfer and I was questioned as to why I was visiting in the morning at it was not the visiting time. When I spoke to the doctors who was on the hospital rounds about his transfer they said they can't promise any thing but will try and make a call to the London Chest hospital. As they were dragging their feet I had to make the call and arrange a transfer.

When I asked about why the medication was not given to him on time the doctors had no answer except to say it should not have happened and that they should have started his medication at the A& E itself.

My husband was not even given his evening meal as he was sleeping and they never bothered to atleast leave a meal for him. In the end we had to take food from home late in the evening.

What could be improved

The medication should have started immediately at the A&E as soon as he was diagnosed with Pneumonia. Not waited another five hours until my husband asked for it.

The doctor who said that he may have to be transferred to the London chest hospital should have immediately liaised with the London Chest hopsital about the transfer. Even after 12 hours ie from 10.00pm to 10.30am not even a single phone call was made to London Chest hospital about the transfer.