Good Hope Hospital

I am due to have my gallbladder removed in a fortnight, I had a partiality severe attack and was brought to Good Hope A& E the staff in minors treated me with the most impressive care treating me proffessionaly and with kindness and humour helping me cope during a stressful time.

Really good service. Went in with a pulled shoulder – this was x rayed and I was seen within five minutes of x ray by a doctor.

My father, who is very frail and experiences severe breathing difficulties due to heart failure, was admitted to Ward 9 at Good Hope hospital. He was put in a side room due to carrying the flu virus. He was left for long periods with no attention. When he rand the buzzer it was frequently ignored. One evening I tried it twice myself when my father needed firstly a bed pan and then attention because of breathlessness. The first time it was ignored for 15 minutes then one of the nurses asked for it to be turned off ( I was stood at the desk waiting to see a doctor). I went back to the room to turn it back on and after another 10 minutes I had to find a nurse myself to ask for a bedpan. The second time, when he needed help with his breathing it was ringing for 25 minutes with no response. I had to go to the desk where 2 nurses were stood to be told that they were busy. Only when I insisted that he needed help with breathing did they actually come to the room. He is lying helpless in bed, unable to move his legs and with very little mobility or strength in his arms and is left in discomfort for hours. I have each day had to try to move him up the bed to make him more comfortable. On three days I have tried to ring the ward for information but the phone was unanswered. I waited 45 minutes on each occasion before having to give up and go to the ward in person. Father is no longer able.to feed himself but no one is monitoring his food intake and I am having to feed him when I visit at the evening mealtime. Tonight I had to leave him in tears because he knew he would be ignored the moment I left.
I have always had the highest praise for Good Hope hospital and we have received exceptional care from the many departments we have used but Ward 9 is totally disgraceful.

To go and visit my grandad, and then watch and hear a few bad nurses degrade a gentleman, who obviously was extremely old and wore a nappy! For a nurse to shout so all could hear, how he had done a number 2 at least 5 times, to then ask him... can’t you smell it? I can smell it can’t you? Extremely embarrassing disgusting behaviour from a nurse who is paid to care!! Needs retraining in my opinion... I am so glad my grandad has been moved! As I do not know how he was treated when we wasn’t there!

Had to visit children’s A&E. luckily everything was ok. The staff were fantastic and my son was at ease. Thank you!

I have visited Radiology at Good Hope hospital twice in 4 weeks and been delighted at the friendliness of staff and efficiency of the department. On both occasions I waited less than 5 minutes and was seen before my appointment time! I was seen both times by the same Dr, who has a kind, understanding manner. On the second occasion he had to do guided biopsy on me and was careful, thorough and competent, giving good explanations of what to expect and the opportunity to ask questions.
I am very happy with my experience of our services at Good Hope! Top marks!

Over several days have spent many many hours trying to get through to ward 11 at Good Hope -no one ever answers the phone!!!! Was on for 2 hours this evening. Whilst visiting this horrendous ward I saw the staff walking passed the phone as if it was nt there. Wanted to pick it up and tell the person not to waste their time as they never bother to answer. Also very difficult to find help when on the ward. Have left notes for staff before now as cant find anyone. What a shocking place!!

Taken with chest pain after 50 min ambulance wait. Was given pain medication. Suspected blood clot or gallstones. Was left for couple of hours at a time with no one checking on me. They had to draw blood 4 times due to losing my samples. Also found out upon arrival they wanted a urine sample was not asked until an hour before I was released. I was not given any food or water at all during my stay. Informed they multiple times I was on medication, I asked for food and water and was not given any. I was released with promise I would return the next day for more tests. I was medicated during my stay and was released alone with no supervision and an inclusive diagnosis. I was not in a ward in a corridor and moved further down repeatedly. Arriving the next day. I was informed my blood sample had been misplaced again and I was bleed again from the same spot as was done the previous day. So a total of 5 bleeds due to lost samples. Currently sat waiting for results. Advised not to eat prior to coming. Have now sat without food or water for hours.

Over the years I have had 2 hospital stays and 2 clinic appointments here. The hospital stays were horrendous, one in particular where I was left in a side room surrounded by bowls of my own sick and diarrhea, for over 2 days before them being cleared, where I ended up re attach gmy own IV line due to staff shortages and general low staff morale. In the end insisting to the docs I'd be better off at home. The clinic appointments were always delayed and late, after waitj g 50mins goi g up and asking if there was a problem being told that they didn't consider 50minutes as running late! So, for the last 4-5 years myself and my family have simply refused to go to this hospital. Now I visit my GP, needing an urgent appointment at the breast clinic he books me in at Good Hope... I asked if it was possible for Heartlands, but apparently not on his option list, I wish I had enquired further as hey, guess what, before u even get to my urgent appointment I get a phone call to say the clinic has been cancelled due to "machine is broken". So... Still no funding available for here then? Still no care? And no reassurances from the appointment team that I would be seen or transferred or even considered now, so yeah, if you're told this is the only hospital available, my recommendation, don't bother, sitting in a hole waiting to die would be a better experience.

In and out of hospital for last 18 months for my heart related problem. I have personal experience of waiting in their discharge lounge for at least two times. They make you sit there for hours and you are without any support, on both occasions there were other patients sitting over there for hours. They should make the system easy & quick for patients rather than putting them under further stress by making them wait for hours.