This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?
Care Opinion

I expect staff to be helpful and pleasant

Posted By Disappointed Parent

"I expect staff to be helpful and pleasant"

About: Maroondah Hospital / Mental Health Adult Inpatient Units (IPU1 and IPU2)

(as a parent/guardian),

My child was recently admitted to the Maroondah IPU psych ward for 2 nights. I visited my child and waited at the front door to be let in for 20 minutes. When the door was finally answered by a staff member, she was unhelpful and dismissive, and just went back into the nurses station and sat down.

I then waited at the nurses station to speak with someone but after 15 minutes was told that it was break time and I would have to wait. All I wanted to do was give the nurse my child's clothes to check.

When the clothes were eventually collected, they kept them in the office for the whole day unchecked, despite my child asking for them because they wanted to shower. They might seem like small matters, but they really unsettled my child and I expect staff to be helpful and pleasant.

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health

Submitted on 14/08/2015 at 1:57 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 4:39 PM

picture of Alan Lilly

Dear Disappointed Parent

Thank you for sharing your story on Patient Opinion. I am so very sorry that we have left you feeling like this.

Our staff understands that we need to respond to patient and visitors' needs in a timely manner and I am sorry to read that we have fallen short in this regard.

Please be reassured that I will raise this as a matter of priority with the local manager and I know that she will be keen to address this quickly (as she does with other feedback whenever issues are raised). I will also ask her to discuss this in her next general staff meeting too as a reminder to all staff on the importance of timely and courteous responses as well.

Whilst you mentioned that it may seem "like small matters", in my experience it is the small things that do indeed matter, so please be assured that your feedback is most welcome.

In the meantime, I hope that your child is recovering well and if there is anything more that we can do to help, please let me know.

Kind regards, Alan Lilly

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health

Submitted on 17/08/2015 at 2:05 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 2:44 PM

picture of Alan Lilly

Dear Disappointed Parent

Just a quick update to let you know that the local manager (Deborah Siddall) has reviewed your feedback and she is also very sorry for the experience which you had in the IPU at Maroondah Hospital and wants to make sure that this doesn't happen again.

Deborah has now confirmed that she will not only communicate this in writing with all IPU staff but she is also planning to address this at the next staff meeting and indeed, will also focus on the theme of "it's the small things that matter and make a difference."

I do hope that you can see that we have taken your feedback on board and that we plan to learn from this in a positive and constructive manner.

Kind regards and thanks, Alan Lilly

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k