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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2004 responses from the local community
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Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff12th September 2023
I started dialysis at the N+N a year ago and now I come to the Kidney centre. One of the great things about here is the parking, there is no cost and parking is available. At the N+N I was so unwell and we couldn't park and then if we did it was a monster walk. This is like a breath of fresh air. When I first came in here I thought "wow there is a hospital in this industrial unit". The thing that makes the kidney ward in hospitals and here different is there the nurse sees you and is gone. Here you know the nurses on a personal level and vice versa. We know about each others families, holidays. They are not just incredibly professional but they are genuinely caring. We matter to them. We have to trust these people and I am a big fan of here. They deserve a monster pay rise.
Being here is a bit like going down the pub! Call it Bowthorpe's own King's Head! By that I mean I know everyone. The housekeeper Bob knows how I like my coffee, he knows which biscuits I like. We sit with the same people each time so we get to know each other. Some patients honestly say they come here for the social side. Some people can have dialysis at home but they don't take them up as they have friends here.
They couldn't go to any more trouble for us.
Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff12th September 2023
I have been coming here to the kidney centre three times a week since March. It was very daunting when I was first told I had to be on dialysis and was on Langley ward initially and then I came here. The nurse came to me and introduced herself and she was just lovely. It has been a big challenge for me. I told them I wasn't keen on evening sessions and would prefer morning ones and they have been very good sorting that out, so I transferred to morning sessions in May and that has made a big difference to me. It is an amazing centre, I recently had dialysis on holiday and it was in a hospital setting and very different to what we have here. The staff here are all so lovely, they are all calm and interested in you, not just your treatment - you. The nurse has explained what everything on the machine is and showed me and example of the line I have in me and how is all works, and this was great because knowledge is so important. The facilities are as comfortable as they can be having this done. It is great to have free parking outside so you don't have the stress and worry before treatment. It is the little things that elevate them, like a cup of tea in a china mug and the biscuits. Thank you.
Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff25th August 2023
Last October I fractured my ankle, but I wasn't offered any physio. I have talked to other people my age and it seems that you don't get physio unless you chase it up. It would have been better to have physio done automatically as it takes you longer to get going if you have to wait. The hospital didn't offer me physio and said I'd be walking fine, so I contacted my GP to try and get physio. I think the hospital should send something about physio to the GP as I think it's short sighted to try and save money on physio as if you get it straight away you may need less help in later life. Although when I did get physio it was very good and it made a difference! It was also really useful to see the physio and ask any questions I had about why my ankle was painful as I didn't know whether it should still be hurting or not.
Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff25th August 2023
A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I went back to the hospital last year and I can't complain, I received such terrific help- they were quick and efficient. It all went so smoothly and so quickly and they were so helpful if I had any queries. I phoned them and they got me in quickly!
I doubt this will get published as no 5 stars! PAlS is t fit for purpose they have no interest in sorting out complaints and follow up with nothing. So went for a pre op after a 2 years yes 2 year! Wait fior cancer op for gynae. So got a text thurs ffir a Fri ( next day so no notice) pre op fri for surgery the following Tue (which I know nothing about)but relieved finally as left in very poor health the last 2 years by gynae, nothing agreed 2 years ago was ever done. Even the gynae secretary was answering with clearly by the message sent via pals she had never spoken to the consultant and she is so rude on the phone and still is 2 years later. So went to pre op answered all the same questions I was already asked after being called in for multi visits last 2 weeks. The same same same tes same… question on yet an other blank paper. The anaesthesia person didn’t turn up to the pre op so apparently another day to come back and not be able to park at this rate I won’t be able to have surgery as wasted 4 days answering the same same questions as clearly no one can read my file. Then I get a text fri in my way home from hospital. Op cancelled and they wonder why suicide rates are high amongst us in poor health. All I have is less food even to eat as the car park costs are horrendous so nothing to look forward to. No pre care to ensure you fit for surgery. In advance. Nothing. Just keft to see if you no longer are a number on there sheet as yr gone
I was taken in by ambulance and was one of 31 ambulances so I didn’t mind waiting. I was taken through pit stop but the dr recognised me and walked off. Offered ambulatory majors but I had had morphine so back to the ambulance instead. Eventually put by CT looked after by another crew. Randomly had a x ray and I was overheard the x ray receptionist saying that they had been calling for me in majors for hours. I cried my eyes out as I would have been seen by now. Back to the ambulance crew and after 11 hours, I was given a prescription and told to go. I didn’t see a dr or anything. I cried on my way home. Once at home I was sick and saw my GP 5 hours later who diagnosed a pelvic infection. This should have been treated in A&e. The paramedics were lovely though. I dread to think what they have written in my record.
I went to the food court and clothes shop. I don’t agree people should have different prices particularly with food. I earn less than a nurse so if I want the same amount of good and I earn less than half their amount it also mean I have to have less food. Very wrong. Do there a discount total meal with a cheap bit fish. Not d high fir an adult. Do u asked fir the chicken now thinking it was a meal at nearly £7 I ask for chips and iras. Got no peas as he did t listen but thank god as I didn’t have enough had he as I thought £7 was. Meal not 2 piece of chicken which was so tough I could cut it with wooden forks provided. The food hall need to be mixed as the staff side was full and they took up 80 per of visitors. We all eating food as hungry if there was sn empty chair in staff should I nit use it and early on a tray in the floor. The double pricing needs to stop. We all hungry that’s my first meal in 3 days and took a lot of my money so u had to put my drink back as chips are extra but no mr toon of this on the food board
Went to aylsham day unit today in the afternoon. 15/08/23 People pulling out canula, due to pain in them blood all over floor which was left. Nurse arguing with patients over canula hutting. Blood on gloves transfer back into dressing storage. Air bubbles in iv. All patients 5 at one point had alarms going off no one cane or was monitoring people. 2 junior doc walked past entrance none cane in to check why everyone alarm going off. Man queried why 1 pack blood taken 6 hours to go down, he was dismissed. He 2nd pack of blood sitting on desk. Lack of hygiene on putting canula in with the end touching chair. No call buttons given to anyone. No one seen for at least 40 mins in room. Rude receptionist as well when u cone in she said well what bay you told to come into. I said I wasn’t given a bay just to come to this ward. Treated like an inconvenience by receptionist, Badly signpost to get there as you have to look for a completely different ward jack prior which no one tells you. Sign post outside in car park are wrong.
Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff14th August 2023
I was very ill indeed with sepsis and taken to N+N via ambulance, through resus and intensive care. I was diagnosed with pneumonia, sepsis and a failing kidney. I was transferred to Hethel ward and I had excellent treatment. I was discharged and delivered home in a bus driven by a charity. I have been contacted by the anaesthetic department because I have been in intensive care and so they will keep an eye on me for two years. I have also been back for a chest xray. All in all I have been cared for well, my whole treatment has been excellent.
When I became conscious I couldn’t do with the catheter, I could see the toilet from my bed and believed I could walk there. The nurse initially said no because I was too ill but she did agree for me to try and I did get there. This was an excellent example of co-operation between medics and patients. The Occupational Therapist came to see me one morning and asked if could get a bed downstairs at home. I didn’t want to I wanted to be able to walk upstairs so there was a discussion and a physio came – I was wheeled to the physio equipment and I tried out the stairs and again this proved the medic/patient communication helps everyone out, it is for everyone’s benefit.
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk Staff10th August 2023
I had to wait in an ambulance for four hours after arriving at the hospital. They took me inside for a blood test and then they put me back in the ambulance to wait. I was in A&E for over six hours having tests done, but no one explained what was happening. A lovely nurse came in and brought me a tablet to listen to music on, to keep me company. In the end I had to stay on a ward for about four days. Someone in a bed on my ward was shouting a lot and making a fuss. He kept saying that he hadn't been fed in four days. While I was on the ward the doctor changed all my medications and I don't know why.