General Chat

If I was sending it - and I have sent such letters - I send them far and wide - not to just one hospital department but to many as there is less chance of things being swept under the carpet - I also add the fact that a copy has been sent to a solicitor - not that I have sent one to a solicitor yet, but I think it helps to "big" it up :-D

I would send a copy to Cameron and Miliband and to the Minister of Health and maybe the Royal College of Nursing

Ann, good letter, perhaps a copy of it should also be sent to the Media i/e National Newspapers,They certainly would be Interested in a Story like that to make headlines.**M**.

Great letter, Ann.

right

An excellent letter Ann. Just one very small thing - in-patient rather than inpatient might be better. I know either is correct, but I initially read it as 'if I do become impatient again' . . . :-)

right, now edited - any further adjustments?

Great letter Ann, but you have forgotten to add that they shouldn't mess with our Gwen cos the GR lot will be after them, and it doesn't pay to mess with some of us!

Best of luck Gwen, you are well within your rights to continue the complaint, this response they have given you is patronising and untruthful and someone needs to get on top of the poor treatment patients get.

Take care and don't lose heart

Lizxx

The only things I would insist on is a reply within 14 days and for their reply to be copied to Dizzi's GP practice.


You cannot leave the time for them to reply open ended and they ARE required to supply the information to Dizzi's doctor for interpretation if the patient requests it.

I could re-draft that letter and make it sound more official and full of big words if you would like.

I can do big words but can barely count.Some you win etc.

Just a minor comment from me Ann, good letter, check para 3 for typo, you have no instead of not.

I think Detective is right, she did say that somewhere.

This is part of Dizzi's post on 21st October:

WASN'T EXPECTING THEM TO ACCUALY LIFT ME,ITS THAT I NEED HELP TO MOVE MY LEGS TO THE SIDE OF THE BED TO THEN SLIDE OFF.

not sure - I used the posting Dizzi made - the one I put above

AnnCardiff - good letter, maybe put a bit more of a threat in it by changing this ->>>

I am not satisfied with your response and after seeking independent advice I shall be taking the matter further. In the meantime I would ask you to look at my complaint again, bearing in mind that everything I have said is the truth

To ->>>

I am not satisfied with your response and after seeking independent advice I shall be taking the matter up with my Member of Parliament and if necessary to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

In the meantime I would ask you to look at my complaint again, bearing in mind that everything I have said is the truth.

Just a suggestion as they do not like to have their dirty washing aired to MP's or the Ombudsman ;-)

"however she refused on the grounds that she may damage her back"

Wasn't there some mention that she didn't want to use the hoist because it would disturb other patients? And that Dizzi could have managed if the nurse had swung her legs on/off the bed?

this is the letter I have drafted for Dizzi if she wishes to use it - if anyone can think of any adjustments, or come up with a different one, feel free - of course. Dizzi can do her own - NOW EDITED


I am more than a little disappointed that you have failed to take my complaint seriously implying that I am lying. Could I ask why on earth should I lie when it’s pretty certain, with my Parkinson's Disease, that I will once again be an in- patient in your hospital and most likely on the ward with the same nurse of whom I have complained

It took a huge amount of courage for me to complain and quite frankly, if I do become an in-patient again I am fearful of the treatment I will receive if this same nurse is on duty

I am mindful that nursing is a stressful job and that staffing levels are probably not as they should be, but I would have thought that helping disabled patients in and out of bed was part of a nurse’s duty – however she refused on the grounds that she may damage her back'. I wasn't expecting her to actually lift me, just move my legs to the side so I could slide off the bed.

The result was that I spent most of the night – till 5:00 am - sitting in a chair so as not to ask her to assist me. Following that I was in need of the commode – she got one for me but refused to help me sit on it – it took me 20 minutes to get out of bed. She added that using the commode twice in one night disturbs the other patients. She then suggested fitting me with a catheter, which I refused. She added that using a hoist in the night disturbed the other patients!

I am not satisfied with your response and after seeking independent advice I shall be taking the matter up with my Member of Parliament and if necessary to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

I am sending a copy of this letter to my GP practice and would ask that you reply within fourteen days

DIZZI <3 - the response you got from the hospital is is disgraceful and totally unacceptable, tell them in writing you disagree with what they say happened and warn them that if necessary you will take the matter further including, if necessary, right up to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/

I've sent you a draft letter Dizzi

Well said Sue.

Dizzi, I have complained whilst in hospital not particularly on just my own behalf but others who were made to suffer at the hands of night staff (usually agency).

I did this whilst still in hospital so they couldn't ignore me and I took my complaint directly to the head of nursing (who I knew).

The elderly patient who had been told to 'wet her bed because they were too busy to bring her a commode' were disciplined and they knew I was watching all night staff like a hawk for the remainder of my stay. They were more interested in eating their takeaway curry than answering buzzers!

You HAVE to complain, complain, complain. Do not give up. It's sad that you have to become a pain in the butt but that is exactly what you have to become in order to get a resolution. Please take up Ann's offer of writing the letter for you.

Good luck

xx

Write to your local paper Dizzi.