The state of our hospitals.
 

At the request of our Doctor, an ambulance picked my wife and Myself up at half past six last Friday evening, when we arrived at Blackburn A and E my wife was put in a wheelchair and I had to sit on the floor beside her for the next five hours; She was ultimately put on a trolley and moved along with more than a dozen others to "Corridor Care", (I kid you not), it is actually signed as such ! but at least they did give a plastic chair to sit on.
there were patient's in this (so called Corridor Care with Catheters in their arms connected to drips etc.
When I asked at the nurses station after waiting for more than twelve hours how long will it be before my wife sees a Doctor ? We have been waiting for over twelve hours, One young (smart----) male Medic said (Quote), twelve hours) is that all ? we have had patients waiting much longer than that.
My wife was finally seen by a Doctor and was allowed home with medication at eleven thirty on Saturday morning, i.e. (SEVENTEEN AND A HALF HOURS AFTER WE ARRIVED)
We keep hearing from successive Governments that our National Health Service is "The Envy Of The World", How Long Ago Was That Then.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

I know, it's awful & sadly your experience is far from an isolated one - we hear the stories but when you actually see it for yourself it's still unbelievable. Just before Christmas an elderly relative who has dementia was admitted to RBH, he was on a trolley in A & E for 2 days before he could be admitted on to an assessment ward & eventually on his fourth day in there was transferred to the ward where he was treated.
I hope your wife is feeling better now she's home

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

I have had the unfortunate experience three times recently…not for myself, but for my husband who has serious heart issues.
I do not know how you can ensure privacy, dignity or confidentiality in these circumstances.
During one these visits I saw an elderly gentleman with dementia get off a trolley exposing himself because he had no pyjama bottoms on.
He was very unsteady on his feet….so a fractured hip waiting to happen.

It is lamentable and much of it is because people cannot get to see GPs.

Taddy I hope that Hazel is OK.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

Many thanks for the above and yes she is feeling much better.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

Thanks Marge, yes she is feeling much better. I am in the process of writing out an E-mail to the Chief Executive of the East Lancashire Health Authority, which you kindly supplied last year, whether it will do any good or not only time will tell but I am not holding my hopes up.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

The thing is Taddy, it will let him know of your experiences…and he needs to know when the service is failing.
So write to him…it might not help you, but it might help someone else.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

Marge, I have attempted to get in touch with the Chief Exec with the E-mail address that you let me have but as you know I am more than "not very good" with this computer thingy and I am getting nowhere, do you have an address that I can send a letter to ? thank you in anticipation, Taddy.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

Yes Taddy.
Send it to Martin Hodgson
Tower View Offices
Royal Blackburn Hospital
Haslingden Road
BB2 3HH.

I hope that helps.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

Many thanks for that Marge

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

Good luck with your letter, Taddy, but I bet it will prompt a “lessons have been learned” response.
Like any religion it requires blind faith to believe that the NHS, as exemplified at Blackburn hospital, is the envy of the world.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

Last year I had to go to Blackburn A&E and was told there was a 24 hour wait to see a doctor after I fell and thought I had a suspected broken bone or I could just make an appointment for the next day

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

I have had several run ins with the situation at the RBH
I e-mailed the Chief executive and I was contacted by someone from his team.
The chap who contacted me stayed in touch for a while until he could tell me what measures had been taken to solve my issues.

So while the situation remains one that is ‘too many people trying to get a service’ and until people can access GP services this will not change…I was responded to.

After another long stay in A&E I again contacted the CEO….again I was put in touch with someone who took my concerns very seriously(they were around the omission of vital medicines).

Now you might say that this is because this man knows I once worked at the RBH in a senior position…but I would hope that this is not the case.
I guess it might have something to do with how your letter is couched.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

The thing about these long waits and poor care in the A&E departments means that lots of people will avoid seeking help for serious health issues…this has to result in premature deaths for some.
The other thing is that there can be no confidentiality, no real dignity and care must be sketchy…in fact it cannot really be seen as care.

I have had a couple of really scary experiences. My husband has serious heart issues and on two occasions if I had not administered his vital medicines then he would not have received them…on one occasion I had to take myself up to the hospital to give him his meds…now how is that safe or ‘care’?

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

its simple to me the hospital staff are no where near the state they once where they do NOT care any more for whatever reason,anyone thinks they are has lost the PLOT.

Re: The state of our hospitals.
 

I have an appointment (3 year waited for) with a consultant on Monday about a gallstone, I'm adamant that I do not want an operation, I don't want to be cut open and have to stay in hospital. As far as I know there are other ways of removing gallstones than cutting me open.