Share review of Whipps Cross University Hospital

Whipps Cross University Hospital 2018-05-21 Person 1 5 0

It was one of the worst experiences i have ever had. On arrival at the hospital i had been sent t the wrong ward and no one was overly helpful in telling me where i had to go. When i finally found the right ward, the nurses at the desk didn't great me, i was told to "sit" by one of the nurses. Not telling me where or why, she then pointed to her left and again ordered me to "sit"... I had to ask where again, and she pointed at a chair. Then another nurse came over and i had to ask why i was sitting there and what she was doing, she mumbled something about it being a chair to check my weight. I was then pointed to the ward and told to get in the bed on the left at the end. No-one escorted me there, spoke to me or said what the process was. I was left there for quite a while before a nurse arrived to do provide me with socks and a gown. She herself was friendly but as i am sure everyone is, i was already extremely nervous about having to have an operation, and the experience so far had made me even more nervous and upset. My partner was with me and was very angry and agitated about how i was being treated, naturally. This is did not help me in any way as he was there to comfort me and keep me calm, and because of all of this he could not do this effectively. I spent most of the time continually looking for someone and asking questions, which were either ignored or half answered. I was also shocked when the surgeon arrived and basically asked me why i was having my procedure, what a question to ask someone. Ridiculous. After the operation was no better. I was left alone, with no one telling me if it was a success, or even being given any pain medication. Only when my partner arrived and asked yet again for someone to please tell us if it was successful. Also he had to ask at least 4 times for pain medication for me. No one knew what they were doing, or what had happened during my operation. One nurse eventually called for a doctor to come and speak with me, this was appox 2 hours after the op and i still had not been given any medication. The Doctor arrived eventually and said "i have been told you want to know what operation you had?" We both looked at him in disbelief, why would i want to know that. I want to know if it was a success and could i please have some pain medication. I was eventually given some pain meds, but t be left that long is unacceptable. I also asked the Doctor if i was being kept in overnight or being discharged the same day to which he had no answer and had to go an find out. A physio arrived, apparently to advise me of what i needed to be doing at the time and at home after the op. He spent about 3 mins with me and effectively told me nothing at all. After approx a further 4 hours my partner had to chase yet again to see if i could be discharged. After much complaining by the nurses we found out that i was to be discharged. No-one came to speak with me, no-one knew what they were doing at any time. It was ridiculous. No one offered to help me get out of bed, to help to dress me, to tell me what i should be doing. SO my partner had to help me, surely that is what nurses are there for? When i evetually got dresses, someone arrived with some meds for me to take home, but that was after my partner having to ask a number of times for this to happen too. And again we were left just sitting there wondering if we could go or had to stay. He again asked a nurse if we could leave, she wandered off and came back with the iwantgreatcare.org questionnaire, shoved it on the bed and told me to fill this out before i left. I had just had an operation and was in no fit state to do this. My partner asked if we could do it online, as she walked off down the ward with her back to us she said, "no that's not possible, do it now". And she was gone. The treatment i received was absolutely disgusting from the moment i arrived on the ward to the moment i left. The whole experience was disgusting and quite frankly not what one would expect. The only nice people were the people in theatre as i was petrified and very nervous and they took their time to calm me down and explain what was happening. At no time did the surgeon come to visit me after the operation either. I was under the impression that this is something that should have happened to talk through the operation and find out what had happened etc. This is what has happened after other operations i have had so i do not understand why it did not happen after this operation. I am appalled by my experience and disgusted at how i was treated as a patient. I will never agree to having an operation at this hospital again if i ever need another one. The nurses on the ward were rude, arrogant, unhelpful, lazy, ignorant, unfriendly, nasty and should not be working in a patient environment.