[Sundae]

Here, hospitals vary enormously.
One of my new colleagues is going into Stoke Mandeville for a procedure next week and is very worried.
She should be. I have had no good reports of that hospital. It's been named as one of the hospitals which are failing national standards.

That was the hospital Grandad was in.
The place where one of us had to be there for dinner service every night to feed him and make sure he drank enough.
The place where the Nurses agreed with the social worker that he was fit to go back home.
They had no idea he could barely see. They didn't know he was hallucinating and having paranoid episodes, where his Best Man came to tell him that the man in the bed opposite was bad-mouthing Nanny. Who was also a frequent visitor despite being dead.
Or that he wasn't actually on a ward but on a film set.

Dad had similar issues at the John Radcliffe - he simply did not understand the food ordering forms. The first day Mum turned up he'd ordered a roll and butter for his dinner. Just a roll and butter.
No-one had explained it to him, or taken the time to make sure he understood.
She went back every day after that because she realised the staff didn't know he had memory problems, was dyslexic, easily confused and hard of hearing.

Why?
Why in each case? All this information was in the medical records.
But they never took the time to speak to either of them.
No-one had the time for anything other than a brief, "Okay Mr Doyle/ Robinson?".
Both were polite, would not complain, would be very English and say, "I'm fine, lovely, thanks."

When I was working as a TA I never went anywhere at anything less than a brisk walk.
And the only time I chatted and gossiped with colleagues was either waiting for a photocopier run to finish or on scheduled breaks (some of which I missed by choice to check on my charges.)
Same with my supermarket work, my bar work, my waitressing.
But the staff at SMH all walked at an amble. And I only ever saw them talking to eachother. And no, they were not responsible for things like food service (or general patient care it seems.) Hang on - I'm not saying they should serve the food, but shouldn't a patient's food and fluid intake be monitored? Isn't this part of overall health?

Mum had to shave Grandad.
No-one else ever did it. And yet for someone of his generation, going days without a shave was the same as walking around with your cock out.
Of course in the end Mum went into bulldog mode and got Grandad into a care home where he was treated marvellously. But can you tell I'm still angry about SMH?

In defence of the NHS, and as I've written here, my treatment at Addenbrooke's in Cambridge was a little like being on a cruise.
Excellent care, good food, great attention. I was bored, but that's hardly a hospital failure. And yes, everyone there seemed to be happy and satisfied in their work. It was good to see it.

I doubt any of my experience is relevant to the OP but I feel I have to offload my frustration occasionally.

Hope you're well Bruce.
I'm glad they treated you as you deserved.