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Patient feeding crisis was resolved within two days of our complaint
• YOUR reporter highlighted issues raised on September 15 (Hospital calls in helpers to serve patients’ meals, Oct 12), without mentioning that within 48 hours, both clinical and acting nursing directors had taken on board our findings and immediately set in motion corrective actions, and further meetings to address our concerns.
At lunchtime on October 5, the date of our subsequent open meeting (members of the public are invited to attend, as are your reporters), we found a more than satisfactory turnaround.
The Patient Forum has agreed to work with the Royal Free Hospital to see that these improvements are maintained.
ARTHUR BRILL
Chair PPI Forum, NW3
• I SPENT over 30 years in the nursing profession, my training covered the 1950s to 60s and 70s, both graduate and post graduate training.
My training was at the bedside with the patient, where I learnt the techniques of feeding the patient who was unable to feed himself, and to observe his condition and report back to the ward sister, who was serving the meals at the head of the ward and observing all her patients. Diets and ordinary meals were all part of the patient’s recovery.
A recent survey discovered that the health care assistants are given more respect over the registered nurses because they are caring for them at the bedside (The Times, September).
Today’s student nurse spends a large proportion of his/her time at university. I feel that the nursing profession has today intellectualised itself out of ‘caring’ – how sad.
I do not wish to hearken back to a Golden Age that never existed, and times change, but patient care shouldn’t.
If I could correct a misnomer, Matron did not administer the ward in my day, she administered the nursing management throughout the hospital.
She could appear without notice at anytime and do a ward round, much to the consternation of the staff.
My final comment: “Too busy to feed a patient” (Elderly patients are ‘left hungry’, August 3) – why?
GH BELLIS
SRN, RMN, HV Cert, Obstetric Cert, Dip Admin RCN
Primrose Hill Road NW
• THE article by Roisin Gadelrab Hospital calls in helpers to serve meals, Oct 12) reflected a picture experienced by some of the patients in the wards reported on at the Royal Free Hospital.
I was transferred from the University College Hospital to there and was a patient in the Zunz ward from April until August this year, being treated for necrotising fasciitis (flesh eating bug).
In the article, the words “overstretched nurses” are the result of a harshly reduced financial budget and I wish to inform your readers that, even under these conditions, I was highly impressed by the manner in which the nurses still carried out their duties with professionalism, dedication and overwhelming kindness shining through.
I do hope the promised arrival of additional unpaid workers will help alleviate their and their patients situation.
GORDON COLLINS
Fletcher Buildings
Martlett Court, WC2
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