"Poor quality of care"

About: Princess Alexandra Hospital / General surgery

(as the patient),

I was placed in Penn Ward from A & E severe abdominal pain for 12 hours. Ward staff would not give me anything for pain as nothing was signed off by doctors.

Was told only two doctors were on that night and they were busy. I said that the nhs has a contract with patients to not let them suffer pain. Eventually given something to ease horrendous pain.

It was discovered I had a burst bowel - I had emergency surgery was septic and touch and go re survival. Recovery on Penn Ward was disjointed, uncaring, dismissive and sadly when one patient who had taken up much of limited staff time died, we were all in our beds with curtains closed for more than two hours with no check up to see how we were. Very upsetting.  

In my time there I was aware of other patients crying out in pain for hours, and distressed patients with dementia were not managed, but left to call out all night in fear.  

A seriously ill young patient next to me was very distressed. I am over 70 years old.  

The surgeons were brilliant. Meals however just thrown away by many patients as so bad.

Nursing staff seemed disinterested and I saw agency staff just hanging around. Worst experience I've ever had in hospital. I have only just recovered enough now to send this.

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Responses

Response from Patient Experience Lead, PE, The Princess Alexandra Hospital 2 months ago
We are preparing to make a change
Submitted on 09/01/2025 at 15:47
Published on Care Opinion at 17:12


Dear CastorMQ47,

I am so sorry to read of your experience. It can be a very upsetting experience to spend a night in hospital when patients are experiencing confusion or are in pain.

Our nursing team is always looking at ways to improve care despite the constraints of their environment and staffing, and so I have shared your message with our team on Penn Ward.

Thanks also for saying the surgeons were brilliant, that is very kind of your considering your overall experience.

Please do come back to me if you'd like to discuss this further, email me at paht.pals@nhs.net.

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