"Rude Staff"

There is a distinct difference between being rude and being confident in trying to advocate for what a patient needs as a carer. Apparently an HCA enjoyed listening into my conversation with my relative who is currently on a ward, and then after I left, told my relative, I was rather rude. So, because I am discussing with someone my shock at the standard of care, lack of communication and listening skills of staff in the hospital, I am rude.

Let’s get one thing correct, I have never been rude, aggressive, or abusive to anyone in the NHS, or anyone in any job for that matter, as abuse and rudeness has no place in my life, I detest it, everyone should be kind to everyone. I am someone who has witnessed mistake after mistake in basic NHS care, which has led to an unavoidable admission for my relative, so if I appear, upset, rude or slightly angry when having a private conversation with my relative, don’t listen in to our conversation, and certainly do not make comments to my relative after I have left, which caused him upset.

The same staff member then called me rude and aggressive a second time in front of other patients, when again I put my foot down because ward staff had failed to do basic things, before trying to move my relative to another ward, basically my relative was asked to vacant his bed space for someone else and sit in the corridor, I refused, eventually they turned out a spinal cancer patient from his bed, to put the new patient in, much to the surprise and shock of myself, and other visitors on the ward, who were also not happy at the standard of care their relatives were getting. The spinal cancer patient did not want to surrender their bed, and they were trying to sleep in it at the time.

My refusal started a chain reaction but is it my fault if ward staff cannot organise themselves, and ensure a patient is fully ready to move when the porter arrives, especially when they have known about the move for three hours. No, it certainly is not my fault, it is bad chaotic management. Incompetence at its best.