The out-patient therapists and the secretary, while trying to cope with an enormous case load, are at the receiving end of patients' complaints because they are not seen soon enough. If we have another member of staff leave we may have to close out-patient services to cover the acute patients on the ward. Our equipment is antiquated. Our department is never a priority for expenditure. Programme managers asked us for a wish list, which we gave them last year and we have not seen one new piece of equipment from that list.
Patients often comment on the state of the department.
A patient last week stated our department resembled a jail. Patients who were treated in our department more than ten years ago claim the environment has not changed at all. It is very difficult to work as professionals and provide a high standard of care for our patients with such limited resources. The physiotherapist listed equipment woes which included a broken air conditioner in the gym, broken ceiling fans, torn beds, torn curtains, holes in the ceiling and an unclean environment. And it was claimed one staff member had nearly been burnt trying to cope with broken equipment.