'Disgusting' – complaints over stroke unit treatment four years apart

Both people – one a former patient in 2021 and the other a relative of a patient in the unit earlier this year – expressed concern over some staff who they claim were unresponsive and left at least two patients “laying in urine”.

The first person, who wished to be known as Miss Davies, was a patient in June 2021.

She claimed during her time on the ward she was given a buzzer to press if she needed a drink or a bed pan but the nurses “never came”.

“There were five other ladies on the ward with me – it was so confusing for someone who had a stroke.

“We were all pressing buttons and asking them to fetch a bed pan as we were bursting for a wee but they said they were too busy.

“I had to shout to them ‘I’m going to wee myself’ and then I laid in bed in my own wee for four hours.

“My (adult) daughter was coming to visit and she ended up staying for two hours (to help me).

“My back was sore as I had been laying in wee and got a rash so my daughter had to get Sudocrem to put on.

“She got mad at the nurses telling them she had had to change me and get me cleaned up.

“It is neglect – it’s disgusting, it’s very upsetting to be left lying in your own wee.

“It was dreadful – this didn’t just happen to me.

“Some of the female nurses made fun of one of the other patient’s name.

“That patient waited so long for them to answer the buzzer that she phoned 999 for help but they just took her phone off her and laughed.

“When I later tried to complain (to the trust) I was told it was beyond three years so they could not investigate.”

The second person told the Advertiser: “While there are some absolutely wonderful members of staff in the (stroke) unit, and they work so tremendously hard – because it really is the most heavy duty ward for anyone to be working in – unfortunately they are let down by procedures, protocols and a few members of staff who seem not to actually care.

“They are misplaced, and quite detrimental to the welfare of the patients, the visitors, and the team.

“I have seen some members of staff rough handling fragile patients, and some talking to them unkindly – like they are fools, not elderly human beings who have vast life experience behind them, but unfortunately are currently quite poorly, or they would not be in hospital.

“What has happened to care and compassion?”

The person gave an example of a man who was in the bed opposite their relative who had “pressed his call button a couple of times and no-one had come.

“He called over to me and said he felt very cold.

“I went to put bedding over him and found it all sopping wet and, bless this man, he said he’d not been able to get to the toilet and didn’t have a bottle but was wearing a pad, and that had been uncomfortable – no doubt because it was overflowing.

“I went out of the bay to the nearest staff member and said this man needed a bed/pad change and one of the healthcare assistants pointed to a small whiteboard and said he was not due a change yet.

“The time on the whiteboard for the patient to be changed was 15.00. It was 12.40pm.

“In what world is it alright to leave a poorly man in a bed saturated with urine for hours on end?”

Helen Dobson, chief nurse at Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am sorry to hear about these experiences on our stroke unit and apologise to Miss Davies and (the unnamed relative).

“This is not the standard of care or dignity we expect from any of our colleagues.

“We strive to provide high-quality, effective person-centred care at all times.

“The comfort and experience of all our patients is important to us, so we take complaints very seriously.

“We are very willing to meet with the patients and their families to discuss these experiences.

“We encourage anybody who has concerns about their care, or that of a loved one, to speak to the nurse in charge in the first instance.

“Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service is also available to discuss any concerns or complaints, aiming to resolve issues before they escalate.”