Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH)
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) carries out outpatient appointments, day procedures and inpatient admissions. Patients are predominantly from Norfolk and north Suffolk, although some patients are referred from further afield especially to access specialist services.
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Total lack of care
5th April 2024I've been in and out of hospital as I have ME and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Last time I was there was because I couldn't tolerate food and kept vomiting. I told them I was dehydrated but they didn't listen. A week and a half later they found kidney damage and I have ongoing kidney issues now as a result. They discharged me while I was still vomiting, they just kept telling me I had to eat, there was a total lack of care. They said I'd be given an urgent follow-up gastro appointment. I called after six months and was told the wait time is 88 weeks. I got an appointment which they cancelled, then they closed my case and so my GP has re-referred me which means I'm waiting another 88 weeks living every day in a lot of pain. I've needed emergency treatment since then but I refused to go back to the N&N because of how badly I was treated, I went to Ipswich instead.
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The consultant I am seeing is amazing
28th March 2024I used the maternity services throughout the whole of my pregnancy and have been an impatient around six times in a year. They are really good compared to West Suffolk and I felt they were more thorough. The staff have time for you and they don't seem overworked. The consultant I am seeing is absolutely amazing, he has a good sense of humour and makes allowances for my baby to come to appointments with me. The only improvement I would make to the maternity services is looking at visiting times and there is nowhere children could visit. However, I have been to A&E and a medical ward before and they were not good. I went to A&E and one person told me I had Covid but then someone else said no it isn't Covid and she's not ok. I was then put on resus as I had ammonia and a blood clot. Some man came into my room and I wasn't sure whether he was drunk or unwell and I was terrified and it took staff 15 minutes to get him out. After being told I had a blood clot and how these have a high mortality rate, I was sat in the corridor next to a bin.
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Left without essential medication again!
21st March 2024I have cystinosis part of the treatment requires eye drops to be used to on a daily basis. In December 2022 I informed the NNUH Ophthalmology consultant and his secretary about needing a new eye drop prescription (unlicensed Mercaptamine eye drops, 0.55%). On 11 Jan 2023 I informed him of supply issues and reminded him a licensed version was available (Cystadops). A week before I was due to run out (Friday 27 January) a consultant from the department range me and said he was sorting the situation out. I asked several times if I would have the new eye drops before I run out and he said 100% several times. I spoke to my eye consultant secretary on the second and third of February and he did not know what was going on. He mentioned other treatment yet there are only two treatments (Cystadrops or Mercaptamine eye drops). When asked about other treatment he had no reply and to this day nobody at the NNUH has stated an alternative treatment, nor a specialist in this area (there is research in this area but certainly no other treatments). I did ask to speak to my consultant but this was ignored and no response was made to questions raised. I feel if you are patients get ill an are worth a better response. I left a message on CEO answer phone as nobody could tell me what was happening. The head of department spoke to me and informed me he had no idea what the process was for getting access to Cystadrops. He then said it was down to my consultant and could not do anything. If you were getting spokes repaired on a bike the head mechanic would help resolve issues if another staff member could not fix the problem. Medication was available at other hospitals and nobody could give me a reason as to why I was not able to get treatment. I put in a complaint getting a formal response 13 months later stating the new treatment was too expensive and not effective (I asked if finance was an issue however nobody informed this was an issue, did me reporting him to the GMC influence this decision). This is despite a NICE review of clinical studies showing that the licensed treatment was safe, effective and had good clinical evidence to support this view. The consultant stated the new medication was not as effective yet there are no studies to suggest this is correct, never mind peer reviewed studies. In fact it is reasonable to conclude an interim supply would be prudent until the situation was resolved, especially given the liability for NNUH if serious eye damage occurred. The consultant did refer me to a specialist however this was a general rather than a specialist referral. Therefore I was forced to play detective and work out the email of a cystinosis specialist who did what NNUH could not, sped up the process and focused on solution not excuses. I was still left without essential medication for 8 weeks which could have long-term consequences. This is the second time this has happened, a few years before I was left without eye drops for 3 weeks and got no reply to my complaint. When I made NNUH aware that a new supply of eye drops become available. a senior member of staff stated they could not supply unlicensed eye drops as there was a licensed version available (MHRA requirement). However the licensed version had been available since July 2021. In response to my complaint NNUH passed the buck and implied this was the fault of the MHRA as they could find no email from them advising them of this change. What is most frustrating other than my health being put at risk is that the reply to the complaint contains aspects which are not true: Namely: other treatments exist, this is not true and a secretary and senior member of staff repeatedly saying this, stating that I had been offered other treatments (not true, only treatments are the two eye drops mentioned above) and hiding the fact that finance was an issue. Even today there are no other treatments than those referred to above, so why not be honest? The NNUH stated previously that they were capable of managing the ocular aspect of Cystinosis clearly did not even understand the process of obtaining medications for it and put my eyes at risk on two separate occasions. By failing to act proactively NNUH have let me down. If they had done their job they would have referred me promptly rather after I had run out of medication. Given this error the consultant could have supplied Cystadrops on an interim basis until the specialist hospital had taken over prescribing the medication The specialist hospital was the exact opposite of the NNUH responsive, focused on solutions and showed they care through actions rather than implying it through words The hospital also failed to respond to a complaint. In particular they failed to tell me to stop taking a medication when I was an inpatient. After leaving hospital the GP called me stating I should start taking the medication again. Nobody told me to stop and nobody has responded to this complaint. The consultant did not apologize for mistakes only for me being in this situation. It is a bit like a child punching another kid and saying I am sorry for the situation you are in. The NNUH makes no sincere apology or apology of any note for mistakes which were made. It mention engagement could be better, rather than it was poor or below where they should be . Afterall a team could win 5-0 and say the performance could be better. NNUH values include excellence (must be a different definition to the Oxford dictionary), people focused (obviously not me in this instance), respect (requires honesty), integrity (requires being honest about treatments and decisions) and dedication (need to dedicate time to being proactive and showing they care without complaints being needed). I would like to thank the specialist hospital who were excellent. Also the poor response and choice by the consultant in question not to prescribe could have had severe fiscal implications. In particular the requirement for a cornea transplant, potential legal liability for loss of earnings (circa 78 week waiting time plus up to a year recovery) and any other distress caused. Perhaps the NNUH and other hospitals would have more funds if it did not require serious injury or death before action is taken. This is especially true in light of these comments 'Hospitals are cynically burying evidence about poor care in a “cover-up culture” (Rob Behrens, NHS Ombudsman, 2024). There are two other patients at the NNUH and taking actions to ensure lessons are learned would benefit many more. I adjust my actions to mitigate errors such as monitoring my blood pressure results in hospital, informing consultants tests that need to be done (white cell cystine, thyroid) and managing my medication if I am in hospital. I can only judge NNUH on my experience (changing Sirolimus from 4mg -20mg for no reason, failure to spot drug interactions, failure to inform of medication changes, slow action resulting in medication, poor communication, have to be reminded of carrying out tests). Despite this I have only been an inpatient 5 times in the last 20 years. So maybe you can understand why I am so frustrated that I have experienced quite a few similar errors both as an outpatient and inpatient! I may be a pain but I am passionate about the NHS and being a critical friend and holding Trusts to account is essential especially given the comments of Rob Behrens. Like football talk is cheap it is about actions. If NNUH does not deliver then my conscious is clear.
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They did an excellent job
8th March 2024I have been in many hospitals in my life due to a chronic condition. The Norfolk and Norwich must be one of the best ones. They sorted me out in four weeks, when I had a lot of complex health problems. They really did an excellent job, and the staff are all caring, from the cleaner right up to the people running the place. One of the nurses, Roxie, even recorded a video of her daughter singing 'Happy Birthday' for me, when it was my birthday.
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Always an excellent service
6th March 2024I was in a light aircraft accident. The ambulance was so quick to get to my friend and I. A&E was quick and absolutely super. There was a hold up in getting an x-ray due to lack of porters but it got done in the end. I was on a ward for a week which was absolutely fine. I have gone back to the x-ray department every two weeks since the beginning of January and also to the Spinal Unit. They keep me in the loop and it's always an excellent service. I am more than happy with the NNUH.
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Well looked after by everyone
6th March 2024My husband's cancer treatment at NNUH was thoroughly excellent. He was so well looked after by everyone. The same goes for Coltishall Surgery.
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A&e
3rd March 2024Shouted at by nurses in A&e many times, complaint made but no reply, a&e drs very rude and dismissive, no wonder I have struggled with my mental health since. They don’t care
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Good care as a patient but discharge and foll
1st March 2024Last year an older relative was in hospital and ready to be discharged. The first call received on the day of discharge was that support would be coming in three times per day but. no, the person on the phone did not know who would be providing it. Second phone call changed it to the following: Once home, an observation team, arranged through social services, would come in for a fortnight, 20 minutes each morning. No care, just observation, in this case often from the sofa, and after a fortnight, an assessor would know if X needed to have care support put in place. Then they would offer if possible, the same personnel to come in and provide the support. As X had financial means, she would then be charged. At no time, either in hospital or from the assessor, was X or her family offered details of other local, care providers whom the family could approach. At a time of discharge or assessment anyone needing care support, the person themselves or their family need to have the opportunity to find out what is available, at what cost and other details. This information should be given out as standard practice, both from community professionals and hospital discharge teams. Why is this not happening?
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A&E Patronising and unprofessional
1st March 2024The nurse who saw me in A&E was incredibly unprofessional and patronising. He didn't listen to me when I described the symptoms I am experiencing and the severity of them. He made me feel very uncomfortable. He told me it is a viral chest infection and I should quit smoking. When I was discharged my partner asked if there were any other possible causes as my symptoms very very extreme and he simply responded with ' not being funny, which one of us is medically trained'. Overall his behaviour and attitude was incredibly poor and I'm not sure I have been treated correctly for my symptoms. The place was also filthy. There were drinks cans/bottles, food wrappers and food over the floor.
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Really nice to me
29th February 2024They were really, really nice to me. I didn't like the procedure which was using barium but they were nice and getting an appointment was quick.
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