"Patient Care"

Please see below feedback on behalf of my father, sent from the whole family, on the care received from 3 units.

I’d be grateful if this can be sent to all the units below, and Amber Ward B - Queens in particular, who looked after him for the longest period.

One question: there are a few people we would like to thank, would you be able to share the email of Amber Ward B?

Teams -

1. Paramedics - Home:

One night Late July.

2. A&E - Queens:

Including the overspill ward.

After being seen by the paramedics

3. Amber Ward B - (Bay 4A) Queens:

Until mid August

Reason for admission -

Hip Socket fracture.

Main feedback -

We were very impressed by the care in all three units. Mainly because of the time in Amber Ward B, much of this focuses on that, but would be grateful if the feedback can to be passed to all 3 teams that looked after him, and their unit managers.

Further feedback -

We were very impressed and by the level of professional care and personal interaction that Dad received from each person that he came into contact with in his long stay.

Particularly as he has dementia, which at times posed severe issues for the staff there.

Everyone was nearly always professional, courteous and cheerful towards him, and the family, when we visited him. Despite the obvious pressures and very busy ward.

I would like to stress this extends to the stuff at all levels.

-From the catering lady on Amber who made sure he got the food he wanted, despite him ticking the wrong boxes, and who spotted he was pre-diabetic.

-The assistants who changed him and his sheets after accidents.

-The assistants / nurses who talked and helped him when he was having a serious and potentially dangerous dementia episode. Or kept an eye on him over many nights to make sure he didn’t fall out of bed.

-The physios / OTs who were all kind and helpful.

-To the 3(?) head nurses of Amber B, on rotation, who run a very effective ward.

-And the doctors who were very clear in their diagnosis and communications.

Each one found time to answer our enquiries and talk to him in a considerate way.

It’s all deeply appreciated by all the family.

-Points for further attention - 

Despite several attempts by the ward staff to link Dad’s care to the Queen’s dementia team, unfortunately this does seem to have happened due a gap in systems (not individuals). During the time Amber ward asked for but did not receive a dementia blue wristband, or the related butterfly symbol behind his bed, or as far as I’m aware a visit from the dementia team on site. I’m not sure how common this gap is and the dementia team itself sounds very small and stretched - so it’s a comment on resources and processes, not personnel. I would like to point this out however, and flag if the system can be improved for patients in future who are admitted for non-dementia reasons, and their families.