"Poor care on ward 31 and 34"

My father was for elective aortic valve replacement surgery to which he had in January. When arriving to AICU to see my father, alongside my mother (dads wife) we was both very traumatised and distressed with seeing my father intubated. We stayed for a few hours, sat by my fathers bedside very emotional.

When the nurse looking after my father was handing over to the night shift nurse.. I overheard one saying that the anaesthetist didn't sedate him properly to begin with, so there was some faffing around - I thought this was highly unprofessional.

Then my father was transferred on to ward 31, which is where the problems started to begin.

During my dads stay, he developed a pressure sore, to which the staff failed to provide my father with any pressure relieving equipment. At one point, a senior nurse did order the equipment, but the following day had been cancelled due to my father only being in his 40s. Strangely, I didn't realise age affected patients needs.

Me and my mother were making an 140 mile round trip, every day, to visit my father as we lived in Lincolnshire. Over the course of 4 days, I noticed my father's weight increasing and his extremities becoming worryingly oedematous. Thankfully, for my dads health, I'm a nurse myself to I have the knowledge to know when something isn't quite right.

I asked the nurse what my fathers weight was, and how much it has increased since discharge, to be told he was carrying a whopping 16 litres of fluid! I remained calm and asked what medications my father was on, to which I was told Frusomide 20mg orally. I questioned why the nurse hadn't got the doctor to review this and she's just told me my dad's weight has increased due to excessive fluid.

My dad had various healthcare professionals looking after him, especially when he began with symptoms of sepsis. His bloods were deranged and began to have rigours and a spiking temperature. Not knowing where the source was, they presumed it would be chest and began the plan for my dad's care.

During dad's stay on ward 31, he was also complaining of pain in his bottom.. I thought this could be his pressure sore, which was continuing to be ignored due to my fathers age. He was given cavilon barrier cream to apply, and I was assured that my dad's pressure sores were being assessed and reviewed daily.

Dad was then transferred onto ward 34. Day two of dad being on that ward I visited my father, who appeared to be distressed, and in considerable amount of pain, yet again, from his bottom. I asked my father if anyone has checked to find out, no one had bothered. I took it upon myself to check my own fathers bottom myself, of course with his consent! To which I found a peri-anal abscess which looked like it was about to rupture. No wonder my father was crying in pain.

I walked over to the nurses station, and waited to gain the nurses attention after she had finished drawing all her attention to her mobile phone. I asked the nurse if my dad could have some pain relief and if someone could come and have a look at my fathers bottom. To which her reply was, my father is independently mobile and doesn't need his pressure areas checking. Whilst trying to refrain my jaw from falling to the floor in complete and utter shock. I made the nurse aware I had done her job for her, and looked at my father's bottom myself and found an abscess so I think she should come with a doctor and have a look.

My dad was then transferred via ambulance with flashing lights to another hospital in Leicester for this to be drained.. Maybe the abscess was the course for my dad's spiking temperature? Two days after his abscess drainage, he was discharged, which I feel was rushed.

Also, throughout my father's 15 day stay, his Potassium levels were taking some time to stabilise, alongside the copious amounts of diuretics he was taking due to his severe excessive fluid he was carrying.

When I looked at my fathers discharge letter. The doctor had scribbled out Sando K, a potassium supplement medication. Yet decided to keep him on diuretics which remove potassium from your body? I questioned this, but didn't get an answer from any healthcare professional.

My dad was now home, and day by day deteriorating in front of me. I rang ward 31 for some advice. The ward sister answered and wasn't helpful or empathetic at all. I was left feeling alone and worried for my father's well being. I knew something wasn't right.

Then, my father collapsed at home, was confused, disorientated and didn't know what was going on. He was rushed to our local hospital, Pilgrim Hospital in Boston Lincolnshire. My father had a potassium level of 1. 2! How he is still alive and kicking I don't know.

A doctor caused my father to have another 5 day stay in hospital, 8 days after being discharged from Glenfield, after a 15 day stay there. Why the doctor didn't put my father of potassium sparring diuretics I will never know.

I'm appalled by the standard of care my father received during his stay in Glenfield.

However, I would like to sing praises and send my love and thanks to the only competent compassionate nurse on ward 31 and that would be Jake. He is 120% worth his weight in gold, he's fantastic and definitely deserves to be in navy blue one day!

I submitted an email to PALS at glenfield, and after 3 months I haven't had a response to my email of complaint, or even an acknowledgement. Hence why I am writing on this website today.