Share review of Diana Princess of Wales Hospital

Diana Princess of Wales Hospital 2021-08-01 Person 2 5 0

I was on a trolley that couldn't be lowered, it was far too high for me. I bruised the backs of my thighs and calves getting off it to go to the loo. I was told there was no alternative. The buzzer in the room I was eventually put in didn't work so I'd no way of contacting staff to ask for water, to go to the loo etc. In the morning I was snapped at for asking if there would be something to eat so my anticoagulant pill (which I must take at the same time every day), wouldn't burn my stomach, and told "this isn't a ward". When I was being discharged and said I needed transport I was snapped at again and asked how I normally get around. I'm housebound due to chronic illness of 36 years standing and go out once a week (if well enough), with my support worker. I felt some staff treat patients as though they are a nuisance and that they don't understand that many disabilities are INVISIBLE. I was told I could get myself to the departure lounge. I was beyond exhausted I'd had 15 hours of symptomatic Afib, and no sleep, on top of the chronic illnesses that make me housebound (including multiple lumbar and cervical nerve root compressions and spinal stenosis), severe M.E. and Fibromyalgia which DO exist despite what ignorant clinicians and staff believe. The doctor asked for a list of my conditions and when she read it back to me neither M.E. nor Fibromyalgia were mentioned. This is unacceptable. M.E. has been recognised by WHO since 1987! It's time some clinicians realised that both conditions DO exist but can be extremely debilitating and isolating. Patients don't need further abuse when in hospital. M.S. was once dismissed as "hysteria" by doctors because they had "no clinical evidence". Would that be considered acceptable today?

Get beds that can be adjusted to suit each individual patients height. I'm disabled and shouldn't have to hurt myself everytime I get on and off the bed in order to get a drink of water and go to the loo! Make sure buzzers work, don't leave patients without a way of getting help. Educate staff on invisible disability. Educate staff in manners and more effective ways of communication. It makes life so much less stressful for everyone. Don't assume patients are over reacting, malingering and treat them as sub human.