Feedback Centre

Find your service by name or location:

Healthwatch is committed to providing a transparent and honest view of health and social care services. This is your opportunity as the health or social care provider to have your say on comments the public have left. It is designed to be constructive and allow both sides to have a fair and equal say in the matter so please:

Keep the language and tone civil
Don’t mention personal details
Make it relevant to the review

As a service provider, you can leave your response to the original review and the reviewer will be notified of this. However, they will not be able to reply to your response, but can get in contact with Healthwatch Norfolk if they wish to pass any comments along. Remember, your response will be seen by everyone who visits your service page on our website, not just the original reviewer. Your reply is a good opportunity to acknowledge any comments received.

Your Reply

Have you replied before?

Title *

Name*

Job Title*

Email*

Telephone*

Reply *

I'm employed by Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) and have authority to leave this response *.

Original Feedback for Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH):

4

Cancer care

I was referred to the NNUH after my diagnosis at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It is quite a distance to travel but that is where the specialist care is. My first appointment at the NNUH was really difficult, it felt like my world was falling apart. The impact of sitting in the waiting room and seeing people at different stages of their cancer journey was the most upsetting experience. Due to the fact I was being treated in the Head and Neck cancer department I was waiting with people who had had facial surgery and had breathing pipes. It was very distressing. During the appointment my treatment plan was discussed. The actual surgery initially went well although I had some serious setbacks. I was offered a trial chemotherapy which also initially went well. There were times however when I was completely bewildered about what was going on during my times in hospital. One of the worst experiences was waiting for a feeding tube to be fitted. There was a delay in this happening and I was starving. I ate breakfast as I had been told it would not be fitted that day but then it did! I also felt my sickness was poorly controlled. Three months after treatment I had a scan and it was a 9 day wait for the results: this felt like the longest 9 days ever and to get the all clear was amazing. I had been complaining to the dietitian that I couldn't swallow and that I could feel a lump. Eventually the dietitian gave me a very simple exercise and within a week that symptom had gone. I don't understand why I wasn't given that information earlier and felt like nobody was listening to me and what I was saying about not being able to swallow. I felt the nurse was very dismissive of my concerns. The waiting room for radiotherapy is awful at the NNUH and as the appointments have very specific times perhaps the hospital could consider reserved parking/short term parking for those attending for radiotherapy. One of the things that made a big difference however is one nurse would hold my hand as she spoke to me, and that made all the difference for me.