Royal Preston Hospital

The ward in general was good, most of the days the service was good but on one of the days there were people left waiting with no answer from the call button, IV left connected and generally less care given. There were a couple of days where the staff were much more caring and considerate but one day there was a patient on the ward in pain who just couldn't get the help she needed and I think that by the time she actually got the attention of staff she had forgotten why she had buzzed. Percentage wise it was more good than bad but you could tell they were struggling to give the kind of service they wanted to, and there were one or two comments made about how much they were struggling, even when I was admitted the nurse asked the person who brought me across if she was the nurse they had sent over to help.

The staff dealing with the children's ENT list on Tuesday 10th March were fantastic especially the children's nurse, two student nurses and anaesthestists. However, the facilities they had to work in could be vastly improved. From the large day case waiting area we were shipped into a very small waiting area which could have been previously a staff room with lockers etc. There were about 18-20 people in the waiting room with 10 or so hungry children as it was an afternoon list. The room was so hot and stuffy. The nurse came round the waiting room with medication for the children and the consultant also came round to talk to parents and children- I would question the confidentiality in this situation. We were told we would meet with the anesthetists prior to surgery but didn't think this meeting would be a conversation on the way to theatre with my 5 year old trying to keep up! However the anesthetists was amazing and put him at ease its a shame the conditions they are having to deal with. Then in recovery as soon as he was awake he was handed to us and his bed was taken away and he came round sat on my knee which in principle was a good idea but you could tell that this wasn't the normal arrangements. When he was fully awake the student nurse offered him a biscuit and some juice and did have time for him he was chatting to him and checked his OB's. On a whole the principle of the way the list was run was good and would be effective but it needs to be organised so the parents feel that it should be done like that and not some adhoc arrangements. There needs to be a proper waiting area designed for children and better explanation about the process.

My mother is nearly 90 and had been admitted following a suspected TIA. After 4 days in hospital I talked to ward sister about when she would come home and was told they needed to speak to family (me). I took half day the following day as they could only see me between 2-4pm - seemed really useful and agreed she could come home Monday as long as able to walk unaided by then. Walked unaided on Saturday but no one available to agree discharge. Moved wards again over weekend (3rd time!) and on Monday pm back to square one with ward needing to consult family! Several phone calls to get agreement then arrive to find mum not told and then 2 hours waiting at hospital for paperwork before discharge at 8pm! So badly organised I am not surprised there was a bed shortage!

A&E experience was ok but lacked a "caring" element for a woman of nearly 90! She was left alone without food or drink.

Call received from carer to complain about the service provided by Royal Preston Hospital and the Ambulance transport service.
On 04/012/14 my husband had a fall and was rushed to the hospital. He was kept in the hospital for a week in the fracture ward but was not treated for anything.
A referral was made for him to be seen by a specialist and have an MRI done at Manchester Hospital on 12/12/14.
The ambulance service took him to this appointment but got there almost 2 hours late. For this reason the appointment with the specialist was missed and only had the MRI done.
Another appointment was made for 18/12/14 to be seen by the specialist.
The Ambulance transport service has not been helpful in anyway. They have never arrived on time and the husband has ended up missing vital appointments. When the carer has complained she has just been told that they can never give the exact time for pick up. This is an issue as the husband had an appointment 12.45pm. Carer was told that he would be picked up anytime from 8am onwards. The carer had to get her husband ready as she did not know when they would arrive to pick up. He was eventually picked at 1pm, but was not taken to the hospital as they had to pick up another patient. Due to this the appointment was missed and it was a wasted journey.

The system needs to be looked at at this is causing a big problem to the patient and carer.

Provide better Ambulance transport service. Sort out pick up times as important appointments are being missed. Keep patient updated with pick up times.

The comment I wanted to make was not about the treatment which was great but about the car park! I took a disabled lady to her appointment and used a disabled parking space. I pulled nose first into the space and got out only to find that someone else had parked next to me so I couldn't get my lady out of the car. The spaces are so narrow the wing mirrors were almost touching!. I asked the other car driver to reverse back out until I got my lady out but what if the driver was disabled? There is no way on earth that a disabled driver could park there, get their wheelchair out of their car and sort themselves out. I do feel passionately about accessibility for disabled people and in a care setting such as a hospital I think a bit of consideration of their parking requirements is needed. The spaces were opposite A &E at Preston Hospital.

Could be improved by having proper spaces for disabled people and people with children. The car park is useless for Mums with children strapped in the back. There is no space to lean in and get them out and get them into a buggy either. People were really having their driving skills tested in the car park but that is ok if you are slim, able bodied and on your own. I think some work needs doing to create spaces for families with children and those with disabilities giving marked 1 1/2 space bays that allow for car doors to be fully opened and wheelchairs and prams pushed between the cars keeping vulnerable people safe in the process.

Treatment received excellent. Found being moved from ward to ward rather unsatisfactory when having settled down to rest.

Perhaps a more direct route to the right ward in the initial stages of illness would prove more confidence building especially for an elderly patient like myself.