Richard Hawley

An inconsiderate dickhead, that's who.

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Be careful what you wish for...

Mum currently in hospital having cracked a bone. Phoning for information I'm told she's on antibiotics. ''What for?'', I ask. ''I'm not able to tell you on the phone''.... Thus started a four day round of unanswered phones, tales of only one doctor for several wards, medication rounds that seem to last for several hours, a solitary nurse too busy to come to the phone, and pretty much ''Everyone's gone home for the Bank Holiday, ring on Tuesday & we might be able to help you''. Oh, and ''There's no visiting due to Covid. You'll have to speak to the co-ordinator, who's not here until after the holiday''. I'm still none the wiser & the health care assistants who do answer the ward phone are obviously well practiced in not letting you speak to anyone. If this is truly the state of affairs in NHS hospitals then God help us all. In the meantime I can only hope that if anything should develop with mum then they'll let me know. But I'm not holding my breath.

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

Extremely frustrating Lofty, extremely frustrating, you have my sympathy.

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Be careful what you wish for...

Thank you I spent Tuesday afternoon dialling the ward every 15 minutes until evening. No one answered the phone the whole time. I complained to the Patient Information & Liaison Service who said they'd contacted the Matron & I would receive a call on Wednesday (yesterday). No one had rung me by 3pm so I called the ward & finally I got to speak to the Sister who gave me all the information I asked for. It only took five minutes & was enough to reassure me that mum is ok & improving. I know hospitals are stretched but, bloody hell, what a fiasco.

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

Good you eventually got some communication. I hope your Mam is out soon. I think hospitals for everybody, staff, patients and visitors/family are terrible just now, all over the country. Everyone is stretched, fraught and weary of the Covid regulations and risks. I have had a couple of blood tests and consultant appointments in the past year and a bit and have had one of my lads there for A&E too. it is claustrophobic and quite tense. One of my appointments was last June and it was really eiree to be be in a hospital with virtually nobody else there. The staff seemed very keyed up and almost fearful. None of it excuses just basic bad manners but hospitals are really in the thick of it.

The bass player in my band had a heart attack on Friday - fortunately he received attention in time and was operated on and had a stent fitted - at the time of writing he was still in the ICU but conscious and communicative, although very fragile. That's cancelled our immediate gigs until we decide on whether we get a dep or not -we've played in the same band for nigh on twenty years, so he's family. We can wait until he recovers if needs be.

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http://www.nickbarberphotography.co.uk

Not pissed off exactly, just wearily resigned. House next door, which had all the intrusive extension work done a couple of years ago, now sold. So much for '' I'm building an extension because I need a bigger kitchen as I love cooking''. Nah, you were trampling over everyone to make yourself a profit. I hope I have better luck, with neighbours with some integrity, this time round.

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

Good luck!

I've finally got an ENT specialist appointment after waiting 6 months from initial referral - and two expedited referrals in between. My tonsils/adenoids might be on their way out...

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http://www.nickbarberphotography.co.uk

Cheers Nick, and good luck to you, too

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.