West Suffolk Hospital

September 2020 - Sent home despite being in active labour, explained family history of irregular contractions but dismissed by staff, almost had baby at home. Required stitches, no hello my name is when another medical staff arrived as midwife not happy to proceed due to location of tear and blood loss. No explanation of what doing despite being in discomfort with each stitch she continued anyway. Offered breakfast post delivery eventually had to ask for it as hadn't arrived 2 hours later. Only positive was student midwife, she was amazing!

I developed eclampsia in the active stage of labour, before this point my blood pressure was not taken. Ended up very poorly, with a rushed, terrifying experience of labour. Left me unable to breastfeed due to how unwell I felt. Midwife who was supporting me surely should have been more carefully monitoring me.

My waters broke in the early hours May, 2021, the midwives were amazing and encouraging. I ended up having a retained placenta and lost 1.5L of blood, but me and my baby were OK. After care during my stay was great.

Low staffing levels meant I was left when induced.
Not checked when labour started.
Baby was born on ward.
Little care after child’s birth. On call midwife sent for and then we were cared for a bit more.
Child’s checks were thorough the following day but not initially after birth.
Husband requested a covid test twice and was not given one.
Husband missed birth.

I was referred to EPAU for bleeding, and had 3 scans in total. Everytime, despite having a scheduled appointment, I was made to wait over an hour because the sonographer was 'not there'. All appointments were first thing in the morning. One time after waiting for the sonographer to arrive, they then decided another member of the team and the trainee could do it anyway, so I was made to wait for no reason.

After my third scan, I was told they needed to discuss with the consultant and that I may need to wait to see them. A further 90 min and they had not discussed anything with the consultant, and could not tell me when I was/if I needed to be seen. Then again, after a further delay, I spoke to the registrar in the waiting room because there were no rooms available. I am disgusted with how little regard they showed for the time/distress of others. When I asked the receptionist what was happening, she was rude and took no responsibility for me being left sat around. If somebody has a scheduled appointment, at the start of the day, I struggle to understand why they would be kept waiting unless incompetence of staff or a dangerous lack of resource/staff are at play.

Regardless, being kept informed or somebody showing some awareness that I was left for hours with no attendance or update would have helped. What I definitely did not need was the rude, dismissive tone if everybody who seemed very annoyed that I might not be happy I was treated this way.

She was scanned to rule out a Stroke. Likely diagnosed infection. Got seen by physio to assess if mobility was sufficient to manage.
2 areas to improve on are the language, when I went to pick my mum up she was referred to as Bay x, Bed Y, not even the lady in Bed x.
My mum has dementia & although keen to get home felt rushed out of the door. She hadn’t been given her evening tablets but they were thrust into her hand as leaving. She had slept in her dress as wasn’t offered a hospital gown.
We were surprised with such a new ward the doors were not automatic, so anyone using wheelchair needs to get help.

We arrived at the hospital as a couple of very nervous parents to be. With the covid restrictions we had attempted to remain at home as long as possible. The midwife that greeted us and assisted with the delivery was absolutely amazing. So calm and very clear at explaining exactly what was happening.

My grandmother was rushed to hospital with severe stomach pain. She has dementia and my grandfather was told he could not stay. She was there for hours, alone and in agony. The doctors said nothing was wrong with her and sent her home with paracetamol. She went back up later in the night because the pain kept intensifying. Turned out she had a severely impacted bowl which had twisted round itself - was urgently rushed to surgery. Had she stayed at home it could have ruptured or turned septic and she may have died.

Hospital still wouldn’t allow my grandfather to stay with her. He is elderly and deaf and couldn’t hear what was happening with regards to her care when he was allowed to visit her on the ward. In between the visits to a and e that night, all my grandma could understand was that she didn’t have any tea! She had only been there a couple of hours but couldn’t grasp that concept let alone any of the information regarding her care.

When it came to discharging her, we were told she would be in there at least another week. Got a phone call at 4 to say she was able to come home immediately. Hasn’t seen a doctor or community nurse since. It has been 6 weeks with no post surgery check on a vulnerable, elderly and ill woman. Disgusting that people with Alzheimer’s and dementia are not allowed another adult with them to understand what is happening. How was she even allowed to sign a surgery consent form if we can’t even have her understand you aren’t given dinner when you have only been in two hours?!

After calling 111 I attended a and e after an accident with a horse and a very swollen knee. Took 2 hours to be trialed, x rayed and seen by a doctor.

I've been given crutches and spoken to the fracture clinic. I will need physio going forward. I was in a wheelchair without my husband- the staff were more than happy to come and get me and wheel me to where I needed to be.

Excellent care during inpatient and post operative once home after total hip replacement. A number to ring and good friendly useful response when I did ring . Proactive post op physio at hospital and then transferred to community team via phone and video but they may be able to see me in person in new year.