Where is our NHS money going?

[Barrie Yates]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Again, may I ask if you made any complaint or mention of your concerns to the person in charge?
If you did not then you should have.
As I have said to Retlaw, this is not the place to air your dissatisfaction as nothing can be done to rectify any concerns.
Things can only be improved if mention is made of shortcomings.
When I was in charge of a unit, complaints were always looked into, the complainant was kept informed of the results of the investigation and what was done to rectify the problems highlighted.
There is a rigorous complaints protocol which staff have to comply with.

Yes Margaret, complained to the Day Sister - who was very nice and sorted me out with a/b drip and a blanket, and to the specialist, both of whom said they would deal with it - when you are feeling as bad as I was, form filling is the last thought on one's mind. What would have happened anyway - some departments there are crap but some are very good, and that is inevitably down to management - at all levels.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I am very pleased to hear that you made your concerns clear to the person in charge.
Complaining requires no form filling(or at least it didn't while I was working).
Verbal complaints are treated in exactly the same way as written ones.......and you can always follow a verbal complaint up with a letter when you are feeling better......this ensures that you are informed of outcomes......which may not happen with just a verbal complaint.

As you may know my daughter was in the RBH for some five weeks, the care she had (in the main) was good, the place was clean.....in fact the floors were gleaming.
The staff (apart from one radiographer - he was reported) were kind and considerate.
They looked after my daughter like she was one of their family.

In May this year my dear old Ma had a heart attack and was in the Coronary Care Unit.
Likewise, the care could not be faulted.....and believe me when you have worked in the environment, you look for things that could be done better......I found nothing at all......this was not because any of the staff knew me, or knew my background, because they didn't.
the nurses worked their socks off. I never saw any of them doing anything other than delivering care to their patients. They did not have time to stand around gossiping.
The same can also,be said of those on the Cardiac ward.

As I said in a previous post, most nurses go into the job because they want to care for people.....they want to make a difference to the lives of those who are ill. They work very hard to achieve this. Sometimes circumstances will conspire against them.....but in the main they do a remarkable job.

[Neil]

Whenever I spend any time in a hospital I see things that are wrong. Often just a simple case of staff cutting corners or doing things they shouldn't be or maybe not doing things they should.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Then if you see things that you think are staff cutting corners, you should report these observations to the person in charge.
Things only get better as a result of these incidents being brought to the attention of the person in charge.
If you see things that you feel are not right then by not reporting them you are allowing them to be perpetuated.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Then if you see things that you think are staff cutting corners, you should report these observations to the person in charge.
Things only get better as a result of these incidents being brought to the attention of the person in charge.
If you see things that you feel are not right then by not reporting them you are allowing them to be perpetuated.

The person in charge should see the same things I do unless they are walking around with their eyes shut

[Margaret Pilkington]

But once you have brought an issue to the person in charge....they HAVE to do something about it.
A verbal complaint is treated in the same way as a written one.
If you say nothing then the person in charge...who cannot be everywhere at once......and may be off the ward area, can do nothing about it because they were not there..but you were. TELL them.

I was in charge of a unit...this consisted of two wards and three clinics. Now, however good I might think I am, I rely on others to do their job as they have been taught, but you and I both know that once there is (perceived) to be no-one watching, anything can happen. Every ward Sister delegates.....it is impossible not to.
I was always grateful to hear of any omissions, as it gave me the opportunity to tackle those who thought they could get away with things(and there ARE always a couple of back sliders...though most of those who ran wards knew who they were).
If someone brings an issue to you then it gives you the ammo to deal with it.

My mother was in the Coronary Care Unit for five or six days and in the cardiac ward for about the same. This was in May...so I consider this to be recent.
I watched the nurses work their socks off......this was MY experience.
If you have had a different experience then you should report it to the appropriate people...give them a chance to do something about it.
To do anything else is both unreasonable and unfair.