reform
07-22-2007, 09:50 PM
My disgust of the NHS comes from several appalling experiences of the shameful services offered to patients and their families. These include a catalogue of errors and ineptitude that permeate throughout the whole service. It begins with incompetent General Practioners and ends with palliative care. It touches on mis and non diagnosis, waiting lists, hospital services (including administration), nursing care, consultant ignorance and arrogance to list a few.
Is this thread going to be just another one of those emotive outbursts from a grieving relative? Although it's tempting to describe in every detail the experiences to get the picture across, the downside is that the reality is emotive. So, for readers that have not had first hand experience of similar circumstances it is too easy to dismiss the writings as fabrication, anger, grief or exaggeration. To those working in the NHS, to dismiss it is denial of reality or worse.
So instead, I will just say that my father died of bowel cancer, my mother of stomach cancer and my husband of pancreatic cancer. I was the carer for them all. The medics amongst the readers would say, "well, we all have to die of something, so why not cancer"? Absolutely right. I live in the real world and understand that is unfortunate but true. Nevertheless, there is a time to die and a way to die.
That is where the common denominator comes in: Portsmouth NHS Trust. Please don't think this is confined to one surgery, one GP, one consultant or one hospital. It would be better if they were the same because it would be possible to isolate the culprits and do something about it. They were different in each case but include St Mary's and Queen Alexandra Hospitals and two different GP practices.
The untimely and horrible painful death of both my parents was so shocking that I vowed no relative of mine would ever be so neglected and badly treated by the NHS again. How wrong I was. Despite my futile attempts to get a diagnosis, beg for any treatment, get second opinions for treatment options, my dear husband and father of two daughters died from similar failings and medical incompetence, ignorance and arrogance.
Anyway the full details will put readers off so instead, I will try to list the facts -every one is a true and accurate reflection:
GPs that do not listen to their patients, or even recognise classic symptoms, play god and think there is time to send for wholly inappropriate tests, with unacceptable associated delays, lost and misfiled results. Ignore government guidelines for referral to specialists and for appropriate treatment and care. No home care, even end of life or palliative services.
Six month waiting lists for ultra sound scans. Cheap and inappropriate except for pregnant women - who incidentally can pay for scans on the high street but suspected cancer patients cannot without a GP referral.
After unacceptable delays waiting for a scan - we found out that you can pay at BUPA even if you do not pay into a health plan and go to any hospital the next day - with a GP letter. What no appointments for two weeks - phone each day for a cancellation then!
None of my relatives were diagnosed for months with the GPs playing god and deciding on inappropriate treatment and tests all with long waiting lists, lost test results you name it, it happened.
All presented with classic symptoms of their disease - I became more expert than the medics.
When in hospital, I visited my parents at least once every day and had to feed and wash them and beg for clean excrement free bedding and painkillers.
Don't tell me nursing staff are overworked. Most of the time nurses were gossiping at the nurses stations. During my father's illness he "was allowed home" one weekend - with another patients medication. Completely different ailment and name. God knows what happened to him.
My father's life ended on his own. I visited him that evening and left at 8pm. At 11:30pm I received a phone call to say he was poorly and perhaps I should come to the hospital. I arrived within 10 minutes. He was stone cold dead, eyes and mouth wide open and had obviously been dead and unnoticed in the ward for a considerable time. I suppose it was easier to lie to me over the phone than admit the truth. Just one example of nursing care.
As for my husband's treatment: After unaceptable waiting lists and inappropriate tests, his cancer had spread to the liver which was detected in the paid for scan at BUPA but could not see the primary source. They assured me that the NHS would investigate urgently. Can you believe that I had to beg and cry in the GP surgery, make repeated phone calls to get a referral. Two weeks later and still nothing. I telephoned hospitals and consultants all around the country but all said we had to have a referral letter. One consultant in Southampton General took pity on us and agreed to see him. A two week wait for another scan. Pancreatic Cancer was diagnosed - 6 months after presentation of classic symptoms to GP.
How long for any treatment to begin? Almost hysterical with anguish and I had to telephone whoever would listen to get an appointment - lost scan results in Southampton meant four weeks later before appointment (begged) with a consultant in St Mary's Portsmouth - last resort because there was nowhere else despite government recommendation that this type of cancer should be treated by expert. More tests, and delays before treatment.
I cannot begin to describe the cancer services at St Mary's - blood tests booking delays, test taken by staff with unwashed hands between patients, four hour waits with dying husband. Chemotherapy services appalling - again no washed hands or gloves when giving treatment. Refusal by consultant to refer for second opinion, arrogance lies and delaying tactics. PAL Services not only pointless but not confidential as well - they warned the consultant without our permission that we were considering lodging a complaint.
In-patient was even worse - I was a fly on the wall because I refused to adhere to visiting times and stayed all day until 11:30 at night. Yes these were imposed even for the terminally ill on the grounds of reducing infection spread. The only people not washing hands were the medical staff. Filthy wards, lazy uncaring staff, toilets out of order for days at a time, so one toilet for 30 plus patients - all suffering from the effects of failing chemotherapy - imagine. Other patients crying for pain relief and being told they were making a fuss.
Out of hours emergency service for out patient chemotherapy patients, although given were not operational - not enough beds. Told by St Mary's to either phone ambulance service or take to A&E at Queen Alexandra. Phoned ambulance and told there was a hours delay. Take him to A&E. My daughter's had to help me carry him to the car and from there into A&E. Covered in excrement and unable to stand we were told by A&E nurse that we had to take a ticket and wait our turn. Unbelievable but absolutely true.
That is just the tip of the iceberg and only covers the basic outline of events.
Yes I'm angry and traumatised at watching my loved ones having to die in such circumstances. I'm traumatised by seeing other patients experiences too especially out of hours. One dear old lady said to me of her husbands treatment "aren't the nurses wonderful and he's in the best place." This is ignorance at its greatest but I didn't spoil her illusions and tell her of the cruel and callous way they manhandled him during the night. He died on the ward alone two hours after thanking me for trying to get the nurses to give him painkillers. The medics often forgot me sitting quietly in the corner still holding my husbands hand and that's why I saw such appalling things.
Any readers seeing this will wonder if I lodged a formal complaint about any of this. I'm ashamed to say that I have been unable to do so. There are a number of reasons for this which include exhaustion and trauma from the events. But if for one moment I believed anything would change from lodging a complaint then I would try to summon up the courage to do this, despite knowing that it is too late for my relatives.
Unfortunately, I'm wise enough to know the reality is that nothing will change. In truth, the state of the NHS is much much worse than is reported by those that are part of it.
I know because I've been there and seen it all with my own eyes.
Well - whose fault is it anyway. I can't really answer that because the NHS Sucks but who is responsible for the NHS - the government or the NHS staff? Each and every one of us is responsible - me for being too weak to continue fighting for justice and every individual for accepting or even thinking that our NHS services are acceptable.
Is this thread going to be just another one of those emotive outbursts from a grieving relative? Although it's tempting to describe in every detail the experiences to get the picture across, the downside is that the reality is emotive. So, for readers that have not had first hand experience of similar circumstances it is too easy to dismiss the writings as fabrication, anger, grief or exaggeration. To those working in the NHS, to dismiss it is denial of reality or worse.
So instead, I will just say that my father died of bowel cancer, my mother of stomach cancer and my husband of pancreatic cancer. I was the carer for them all. The medics amongst the readers would say, "well, we all have to die of something, so why not cancer"? Absolutely right. I live in the real world and understand that is unfortunate but true. Nevertheless, there is a time to die and a way to die.
That is where the common denominator comes in: Portsmouth NHS Trust. Please don't think this is confined to one surgery, one GP, one consultant or one hospital. It would be better if they were the same because it would be possible to isolate the culprits and do something about it. They were different in each case but include St Mary's and Queen Alexandra Hospitals and two different GP practices.
The untimely and horrible painful death of both my parents was so shocking that I vowed no relative of mine would ever be so neglected and badly treated by the NHS again. How wrong I was. Despite my futile attempts to get a diagnosis, beg for any treatment, get second opinions for treatment options, my dear husband and father of two daughters died from similar failings and medical incompetence, ignorance and arrogance.
Anyway the full details will put readers off so instead, I will try to list the facts -every one is a true and accurate reflection:
GPs that do not listen to their patients, or even recognise classic symptoms, play god and think there is time to send for wholly inappropriate tests, with unacceptable associated delays, lost and misfiled results. Ignore government guidelines for referral to specialists and for appropriate treatment and care. No home care, even end of life or palliative services.
Six month waiting lists for ultra sound scans. Cheap and inappropriate except for pregnant women - who incidentally can pay for scans on the high street but suspected cancer patients cannot without a GP referral.
After unacceptable delays waiting for a scan - we found out that you can pay at BUPA even if you do not pay into a health plan and go to any hospital the next day - with a GP letter. What no appointments for two weeks - phone each day for a cancellation then!
None of my relatives were diagnosed for months with the GPs playing god and deciding on inappropriate treatment and tests all with long waiting lists, lost test results you name it, it happened.
All presented with classic symptoms of their disease - I became more expert than the medics.
When in hospital, I visited my parents at least once every day and had to feed and wash them and beg for clean excrement free bedding and painkillers.
Don't tell me nursing staff are overworked. Most of the time nurses were gossiping at the nurses stations. During my father's illness he "was allowed home" one weekend - with another patients medication. Completely different ailment and name. God knows what happened to him.
My father's life ended on his own. I visited him that evening and left at 8pm. At 11:30pm I received a phone call to say he was poorly and perhaps I should come to the hospital. I arrived within 10 minutes. He was stone cold dead, eyes and mouth wide open and had obviously been dead and unnoticed in the ward for a considerable time. I suppose it was easier to lie to me over the phone than admit the truth. Just one example of nursing care.
As for my husband's treatment: After unaceptable waiting lists and inappropriate tests, his cancer had spread to the liver which was detected in the paid for scan at BUPA but could not see the primary source. They assured me that the NHS would investigate urgently. Can you believe that I had to beg and cry in the GP surgery, make repeated phone calls to get a referral. Two weeks later and still nothing. I telephoned hospitals and consultants all around the country but all said we had to have a referral letter. One consultant in Southampton General took pity on us and agreed to see him. A two week wait for another scan. Pancreatic Cancer was diagnosed - 6 months after presentation of classic symptoms to GP.
How long for any treatment to begin? Almost hysterical with anguish and I had to telephone whoever would listen to get an appointment - lost scan results in Southampton meant four weeks later before appointment (begged) with a consultant in St Mary's Portsmouth - last resort because there was nowhere else despite government recommendation that this type of cancer should be treated by expert. More tests, and delays before treatment.
I cannot begin to describe the cancer services at St Mary's - blood tests booking delays, test taken by staff with unwashed hands between patients, four hour waits with dying husband. Chemotherapy services appalling - again no washed hands or gloves when giving treatment. Refusal by consultant to refer for second opinion, arrogance lies and delaying tactics. PAL Services not only pointless but not confidential as well - they warned the consultant without our permission that we were considering lodging a complaint.
In-patient was even worse - I was a fly on the wall because I refused to adhere to visiting times and stayed all day until 11:30 at night. Yes these were imposed even for the terminally ill on the grounds of reducing infection spread. The only people not washing hands were the medical staff. Filthy wards, lazy uncaring staff, toilets out of order for days at a time, so one toilet for 30 plus patients - all suffering from the effects of failing chemotherapy - imagine. Other patients crying for pain relief and being told they were making a fuss.
Out of hours emergency service for out patient chemotherapy patients, although given were not operational - not enough beds. Told by St Mary's to either phone ambulance service or take to A&E at Queen Alexandra. Phoned ambulance and told there was a hours delay. Take him to A&E. My daughter's had to help me carry him to the car and from there into A&E. Covered in excrement and unable to stand we were told by A&E nurse that we had to take a ticket and wait our turn. Unbelievable but absolutely true.
That is just the tip of the iceberg and only covers the basic outline of events.
Yes I'm angry and traumatised at watching my loved ones having to die in such circumstances. I'm traumatised by seeing other patients experiences too especially out of hours. One dear old lady said to me of her husbands treatment "aren't the nurses wonderful and he's in the best place." This is ignorance at its greatest but I didn't spoil her illusions and tell her of the cruel and callous way they manhandled him during the night. He died on the ward alone two hours after thanking me for trying to get the nurses to give him painkillers. The medics often forgot me sitting quietly in the corner still holding my husbands hand and that's why I saw such appalling things.
Any readers seeing this will wonder if I lodged a formal complaint about any of this. I'm ashamed to say that I have been unable to do so. There are a number of reasons for this which include exhaustion and trauma from the events. But if for one moment I believed anything would change from lodging a complaint then I would try to summon up the courage to do this, despite knowing that it is too late for my relatives.
Unfortunately, I'm wise enough to know the reality is that nothing will change. In truth, the state of the NHS is much much worse than is reported by those that are part of it.
I know because I've been there and seen it all with my own eyes.
Well - whose fault is it anyway. I can't really answer that because the NHS Sucks but who is responsible for the NHS - the government or the NHS staff? Each and every one of us is responsible - me for being too weak to continue fighting for justice and every individual for accepting or even thinking that our NHS services are acceptable.