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| Two-star hospital with ‘a
wash basin without plug’ |
Patient attacks ‘slap happy’
cleaning and 30p-a-minute phone calls
George Durack |
VETERAN campaigner George Durack hit out at standards at the
two star Whittington hospital this week after seven days in a busy
ward where “self preservation became a priority.”
Mr Durack,81, from Tufnell Park complained about the struggle of
having to wash himself with one hand in a washbasin without a plug,
to the “slaphappy” standard of cleanliness in the ward,
and the 30p a minute cost of a telephone call.
The Archway hospital only won its two star grades early this year
for across the board patient and staff satisfaction and all round
cleanliness. However, hospital chiefs had to fend off criticism
last month when it was revealed that the annual report - published
like a diary – had cost £17,000.
Mr Durack, chairman of the Islington Pensioners’ Forum, described
a gruelling ten-hour wait for a bed, when he was admitted to the
hospital suffering from diverticulitis, a bowel complaint, last
month.
”I sat waiting in A&E from 11.30am to 9.30pm,”he added.
“It was a terribly frustrating and uncomfortable experience.”
Writing about his experiences in Victoria ward in the Forum’s
monthly newsletter he described having to wash each morning and
night with no plug in the washbasin. “It was explained that
it was to stop the basin over-flowing,” he said. “But
then how are you are able to keep the water to wash yourself?
“It was disgraceful. I just had one hand – the other was
attached to a drip – and here I was trying to wash myself with
the water disappearing down the plughole. There were no nurses available
to help because they were all so extremely busy.
“In the end I plugged the wash basin with toilet paper which
works briefly but to no great effect.”
In terms of cleanliness, he said, the hospital “does its best”
– but has a long way to go before its standards are acceptable.
“I was gratified to see staff washing their hands fairly regularly,”
Mr Durack said. “But I have seen cleaner wards. .I think they
were doing the best that they possibly could under the circumstances.
“Some of the nurses were damned efficient but there was always
an element that appeared to stand by and do nothing.
“I’d like to have seen more cleaners coming around but
it seemed that the nurses did most of the cleaning around the beds.
It was all a bit slaphappy at times. “
He was particularly angry at the 30p a minute cost of phone calls
for patients who use a hospital phone card. “I phoned the office
of the Islington Pensioners’ Forum and it cost me 90p for just
a few minutes call. It is outrageous.”
He added that he was saddened to see his ward was very busy and
the next door ward, Thoroughgood, closed due, he heard, to budgetary
cuts.” I was told that the hospital had over-spent and that’s
why they had to close the ward. I thought to myself that they’ve
just spent £17,000 on the book about the ‘wit and wisdom’
of the Whittington when that money could have helped keep a ward
open.”
A spokeswoman for the hospital said: “We were sorry to hear
about Mr Durack’s concerns about his stay in hospital. If he
wishes to contact us directly we will happily look into the points
raised by him in your article.
Regarding the bedside phone system, the Trust is currently in the
process of changing the system we use for the bedside phones. The
new system will contain a notification of the charges for calling
when the caller dials the number.” |
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