Dear Sir,

As I just spent more than a week in our hospital, I feel qualified to comment on a couple of problem areas that, if addressed, can only improve patients’ wellbeing.

Why are there not enough blood-pressure monitors so that each room has one?

I would think that every patient has their blood pressure taken frequently, yet the entire ward is disturbed by the rattling of these monitors as they drag them from room to room through the day and night.

What a waste of nurses’ precious time. A suggestion to the Women’s Auxiliary, perhaps?

And, why do the television remote controls not work? Getting out of bed to turn the TV on and off is not an option in most rooms.

Again, a waste of valuable nursing time — if they deign to assist, which doesn’t happen often, even though it takes less than a minute to turn it off and on under the TV screen.

More often the nurses say they will “call someone”, taking up the time and energy they could have used to see to the TV themselves.

Once I had mastered going to the bathroom unaided — a significant leap forward towards release — I had a problem in the middle of the night. I had to disturb the nurse, as I had run out of toilet paper. She handed me some wet paper towels in lieu — most uncomfortable — and advised they didn’t have any spare toilet paper on the ward. They would have to call housekeeping.

I was awoken by the rattling noise of the housekeeping unit doing their job. Really? A different department for toilet paper? On call? All night? The mind boggles.

I am grateful to be home and getting better every day, and pray for a better patient experience for all.

LIZ WILKINSON SMITH

St George’s