Hospital beds

No, they won't take revenge but they may mark your card as someone not to mess with! Go pp

I totally agree JessM and Nfk we should not keep quiet any longer and I am going to write to the chief executive of the hospital trust and ask why anybody would sit people in a waiting room when they are waiting for major surgery and think that is ok and not let them have a bed. If I receive a reply I will post it. Hmm, just wondering if I should have my surgery first, they might take revenge on me ha ha.

Here, here

I think the worst NHS seating I ever saw was in Merthyr some years back - broken plastic chair in day room with newspapers stuffed into the seat.
I think a letter to the hospital manager and a copy to your MP is in order.
Paste it into writetothem.com - a doddle.
MPs will nearly always follow up with the ministry and the hospital.
I think what N Staffs has revealed is that we need to complain much more loudly and widely.

NFK I too find hospital and surgery waiting room chairs very uncomfortable. most of these seats are too low, or too soft, or the seat is too deep for good back support or the seat slopes backwards. Which is not an ideal position for anyone with a back problem. I often find myself wandering around a room instead of sitting down, like Goldilocks looking for a comfortable chair, or even a chair which the backfriend could improve.

I take a "backfriend" (TM) or a smaller cushion with me as I always use them in my my car. Where there have been no decent chairs I asked for straight up chair or a typing chair. These days I can usually spot an unsuitable chair on first glance. Sitting in a chair that is not right will leave my back twinging after a very short time.

Perhaps organisations like this should be encouraged to get people with back problems to test out the best chairs, in advance of large purchases being made. There is a lot of evidence about the right shape for the most anatomically healthy chairs. Big organisations should buy them to suit the healthiest designs. There is no reason why these should be more expensive than others.

NFKDumpling what a wonderful idea ha ha, that really made me chuckle. Galen I quite agree, what is happening? because to me, there is no excuse for either of these things. And it is not just one hospital that I am talking about, I think it is seen as a money saver(how i do not know, but will try and get an answer) Several hospitals apparently in South Yorkshire have decide to do this and quite often when things happen in one area, it doesn't seem long before others jump on board. I am going to delve in to this and try and get a good and valid reason as to what they think may be achieved by such a strategy. And if you see on the news that a certain Gnetter has been arrested for chaining herself to a bed, you know who it will be. Op date altered now anyway, so might try and have a whip round for a bed?

I and friends of mine have had good results fro. Using the hospitals PALS - details will be on the hospitals website

Yes. After admission the night before and starving from 11 pm. Told at 2.30 pm that they hadn't got enough sterilised equipment. Just ad bad as no bed I think.

That's awful. I cannot believe they can possibly imagine it's acceptable, especially with back problems. If your back is anything like mine was, sitting on an uncomfortable waiting room chair for any length of time is simply impossible.

I can only suggest you tell them that as you cannot sit or stand so will be bringing a mat so you can lay on the floor and that your friend from the BBC will be bringing you in!

I think this is a case for a letter to the hospital Manager. As why they do this. It doesn't sound like patient care to me, it sounds like a lack of organisation. Yes, I know some operations take longer than expected but then the staff should stay and complete the list.

Oh dear - this does not help you in what is a stressful situation anyway. I am afraid that is the way things are going. If your back is too painful for you to sit and wait you need to tell them that. I do hope that you get "done" on the day you go in. Good luck with it all.

Oops can't spell either ha ha.