Two weeks ago, for only the
second time in my life I was treated to the delights of an overnight stay in
hospital. It was not by choice obviously but by illness, which overtook me at
the convenient time of midnight on a Sunday
I woke with breathing difficulties,
which got steadily worse until my wife and I decided to call the out of hours
service, found the booklet, the number and no longer available reply, tried 111
and received another number to dial, then was connected.
Of course in a normal emergency
one would expect to be asked symptoms and questions to decide urgency, but not
at that stage personal details from someone having difficulty talking. On hold
while a nurse was contacted and then in good call centre practise, started from
scratch again.
It was decided on an ambulance,
which arrived fairly quickly and then the medical excellence started;
efficiently working through their check list of tests, they then decided on
hospital and took me out to the ambulance made me comfortable and carried out
more tests, ECG etc before deciding to drive off.
One of their concerns, during the 30 mile journey, was of
another emergency as they were the only crew on duty, but luckily this did not
occur. At emergency a rapid transfer occurred, with no sitting about in the
Ambulance as widely reported, again a wide range of thorough tests and then a
wait for a doctor to become available.
In a cubicle with curtains open
and passing staff checking you were alright, then an emergency next door and
the curtains were drawn and isolation began, this is my only crtiticism, the
lack of contact and communication and having to call out several times as
someone passed, when I needed attention.
Things had improved since my
previous visit many years ago, but I was stuck by the complete contrast between
medical staff and management. The staff were helpful, cheerful, efficient and
overworked, patients were difficult, with the usually lack of communication
skills of doctors and consultants, but one had the overall impression of things being
haphazard and disorganised.
There was a routine but it
clashed at times with doctors rounds, cleaners and maintenance staff came and
went at their convenience with the usual long mop pushing the dirt from the
doorway round the ward and out again, although there was a full clean the next
day.
After a fitful sleep, had just
dropped off when the 6.30am medical check started plus a cup of tea, water jugs
were collected , taken away and not returned until half an hour later, there was a lot of
hassle, breakfast, cleaners orderlies etc., which disturbed the peace.
Visiting hours were restricted,
but there was not a lot of activity in the afternoon, so it could have been
continuous from lunchtime. There were no night rounds with a complete
dependence on the panic button.
One couldn’t help thinking of
the good old matron days, experienced when visiting parents and everything
seemed quiet and efficient, with little escaping her eagle eye. The care
problems now arising result from this lack of this overview and the patient considerate
manner exercised on the spot by the matron.
There is no-hands on management
occurring, with time taken in balancing budgets, meeting targets, planning and
trying to fit two pints into a pint pot, whilst dictating what happens in daily
routine, staff levels etc. This is a formula for chaos which is appearing
steadily in our NHS.
No comments:
Post a Comment