"Informed consent, disrespect, and complaints pathways"

I find myself disgusted and revolted at the time of writing this. A day that should be a happy day for my grandparent who I visited up on ward 3C. When I first spoke to them they told me they didn't know what medications they were being given or why. They had been vomiting for several days but did not know the status of their health following extensive vomiting. My grandparent told me they felt they were being treated "like a piece of meat", with ECG stickers left on my grandparent long after they had been unplugged, left in a cold dark ward with only one blanket and in an uncomfortable position, and after being given many medications that my grandparent was never given clear information about.

My grandparent told me that the medications (what they were, how they worked and what they were for) hadn't been explained to them and, when I asked about these medications, the coordinator defended their choice not to let my grandparent know, saying that the ward was ‘pressed for time’ and that it wasn't practical, particularly over the holidays and when my grandparent’s medications were being changed so frequently, to provide information about every medication before commencing treatment. I reminded the coordinator that it was a requirement that informed consent be obtained from patients prior to treatment and their response was to promise that a pharmacist (not a doctor!) meet with my grandparent to talk about any treatments before they were administered.

I was concerned about everything I had seen, and felt that my grandparent’s undetermined condition was being overlooked. I asked the coordinator if they could provide us with a pamphlet/brochure with the details of the DASH line because it was difficult for my grandparent to see the information in the dark room from their bed, particularly with vision issues and even with their glasses on. It turned out the ward did not have any DASH brochures/pamphlets. Soon after we were told that my grandparent was about to be moved to a different ward and that the next ward (1B) would have DASH pamphlets/brochures for them.

I found the move between wards was a nightmare in of itself; the hallway aisle for the 1B ward was blocked off with multiple unattended items including walkers and cleaning equipment on wheels. It seemed the change in room had not been properly coordinated and, by the time the cleaning equipment was moved, my grandparent had been left in their bed in the hall for several minutes, blocking off traffic and I believe making it difficult for people to come and go.

As my family walked into the new room I had to caution them (particularly my other grandparent, prone to falls recently) to be careful because it seemed the floor was still wet - no sign had been put up. I reiterated my grandparent's concerns about informed consent to the person at the front desk and asked about getting a DASH pamphlet/brochure. It turned out this ward did not have any either. This was even more concerning because the new room my grandparent was in didn't even have DASH signage that was visible from the patients' bed - It was on a side wall facing the door, making it, again, impossible to read from the bed. I was so concerned that I resolved to call the DASH line myself when I got home.

Unfortunately I felt this interaction was just as sickening as the issues in the hospital itself. The first person I spoke with I felt took a disrespectful tone with me and made seemingly defensive remarks about my concerns, I felt trying to deny my experience of the hospital. They frequently interrupted me as I was trying to raise my concerns and told me that I should have spoken with the coordinator of 1B. I asked to speak with the Patient Experience Feedback team but they told me, rudely, that they were not available due to the new years' period. The staff person appeared unwilling to assist me and I asked to speak with another staff person in order to raise the DASH complaint.

When I was transferred to another staff person I felt I was, again, interrupted frequently and attempts were again made to minimise the experience and concerns I had observed. The staff person also seemed in a rush and told me they would complete the DASH report in a timely manner but after I had hang up the call. I got no confirmation that the DASH report was even raised and felt concerned because, due to the staff person's interruptions, I was not even able to raise all of the issues that I observed. I was told that I could raise my other concerns (not related to informed consent) by emailing the hospital feedback team. The staff person then gave me an email address that it turned out was incorrect, missing a fullstop. My experience of this hospital has been very concerning and I am very worried for my grandparent and other patients, particularly those who are elderly and who it seems are having things done to them without their consent.