FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Many of you who read the Grey Power pages regularly would recognise that over past months we have been critical of many of the services coming out of MidCentral Health DHB and their associated agencies. Probably the most criticism has been levelled at the late night discharges of older people from the hospital without the hospital protocols being followed. There has also been the issue of lack of home care, health care and personal care support for our seniors and the reduction in hours provided. But that is not what this article is about.
Just prior to Christmas I began to feel unwell. I worked through that feeling of malaise until on the 7th January I had to call for an ambulance and was immediately taken through to the Emergency Department at Palmerston North Hospital [more on that later]*. In the period between Christmas and when I was finally discharged, I lost a little over 13kg in weight. What I had was obviously serious. Having been poked and prodded, had x-rays, ultra-sounds, CT scans, ECG’s, together with numerous blood tests, blood cultures taken and the inevitable blood pressure and temperature checks, it was finally decided that I had septicaemia. It had another fancy clinical name but that was effectively what I was diagnosed as having. No one was, or is quite sure, of how I caught it but it was serious. A couple more days and it could have been really serious.
And now the reason for this article. I spent 14days in Palmie Hospital. During that time the care, attention and treatment I received was exemplary. At every level the consultants, the doctors, the nursing staff and the ward assistants were amazing in their level of care and attention that they displayed, not only to me but also the other patients in the ward. If they felt that additional tests or treatments were needed, these were undertaken quickly. There was a continuous round of consultants (that’s specialists) registrars and junior doctors checking and keeping both Diane and I informed of progress with my condition. The nursing staff was constantly checking on my comfort levels and medication needs.
I want to use these pages to thank all of those who assisted in my care, during my 14 day stay. Thank you for your care, your consideration and your total professionalism in assisting me on my road to recovery.
I did, however, have one major criticism of my 14 day stay in Palmerston North Hospital. I have previously expressed these criticisms to both the Chairman of the DHB and the CEO. They have chosen to not take my previous comments seriously. But having spent 14 days in the hospital I can now speak from a personal perspective. That major criticism relates to the food that is supplied to the patients.
Put simply, the food provided to the patients is by any reasonable standard – APPALLING. Let me say that in my younger years I had an interest in food and cooking and studied and worked for two London City and Guilds Chefs qualifications. I worked in restaurants in Auckland and in London. I know a little bit about cooking and catering. To ensure that it was not only me I spent time talking to other patients and gauging their reactions to the quality and presentation of the food to the patients. All, with no exceptions, held similar views to mine. When comments were made to the junior doctors or the nursing staff, remembering that they cannot comment directly, they covered up by looking embarrassed or nodding knowingly. They had heard it all before.