Share review of Pilgrims Hospices Canterbury

Pilgrims Hospices Canterbury 2022-03-16 Person 5 5 0

I read the above questions to dad and dad rated the answers. I ( mandy) have completed the feedback boxes. Dads experience in the hospice was overall very good. We both appreciate everything that was done for dad, by the dedicated team. Some of the staff went above and beyond for dad, which meant so much to both of us. Today I have met 4 of the Hospice at home team - they have all been wonderful and I feel very grateful and completely reassured that my dad will be in safe hands with the team. I sincerely thank you ( Sophie) for arranging this interim care for my dad in order for him to come home to his family- you have no idea how much it means to my family.

Just a couple of points; - One evening I was sitting with dad and a healthcare assistant came in and said I need to pull the curtain, as we have to move a body off the ward. It upset dad and surprised me. I think it would have been more appropriate to say ‘patient’. I understand and appreciate the working conditions are very difficult in the hospice and it was most likely a slip. - consistency with PPE, again I understand rules may change, but every visit was different, some took temperatures, others didn’t, we were told we didn’t have to wear gloves and aprons in the am and then the pm we had too, only to be told by nursing staff we could take them off. Which was such a waste of PPE. We were asked to wash our hands and then told ‘don’t worry’ it makes the gloves harder to get on. We were signed out some days and other days not and some days we left and were abruptly stopped to be told we had to sign out. Some days we walked in, sanitised and put a mask on, other days we were being stopped from entering and temperature taken outside. The whole process of entering the ward was very inconsistent, confusing and sometimes led to us being told off for removing gloves & aprons, when we were told not to wear them. It has been a tough 13 days and my brain has been scrambled and I have been exhausted. So consistency on entering would be great for frequent visitors, such as myself, who are already feeling stressed and anxious. - I appreciate the good work of the volunteers, but there are a couple of volunteers who spoke to my dad, as if he was a child. Dad has his mind and is able to converse. A couple of occasions volunteers have been patronising towards my dad and last night a volunteer said to my dad ‘you’re a good boy for eating all your soup & jelly” Dad actually commented after she left - “ what am I a dog” I am grateful to volunteers, but again, I feel they need to be careful in their choice of words to patients who do have their faculties.