Derriford Hospital
Derriford Road, Crownhill, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 8DHContact details and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Patient ratings and reviews
Leave a review
Help others by sharing your thoughts and experiences about Derriford Hospital.
Reviews
-
Review titled Amazing service from an under pressure hospital
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Andy Benham - Posted on 29 March 2023
My wife came in on an ambulance, which was quickly despatched and crewed by the nicest people on the planet. After triage we spent some time with two other crews, both of whom were equally good, the level of care these people provide while waiting for a hospital bed is absolutely amazing, everyone is so helpful and catering under what are very difficult conditions. Once My wife was moved to a ward she got the best of care with quick delivery of a variety of test and a raid discharge once everything was sorted out. We were both very grateful to be in Derriford, we’ve always had great confidence in the staff there and this last visit was no exception.
Visited Accident and emergency services on March 2023
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 11 April 2023
Many thanks for taking the time to leave such kind feedback. I have passed your comments onto the team who will be very grateful for this. I hope your wife is recovering well. We did ask SWAST to contribute to this posting, but have not heard from them, so perhaps you would like to share your lovely comments with them directly? Thanks Chelsea Harris Clinical Admin Manager for ED
Provided by Care opinion
-
Review titled Fantastic service and great advice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Chris Rickard - Posted on 28 February 2023
I had to attend A&E on a Friday evening with suspected DVT. I was barely able to walk. I was seen quickly by a friendly, welcoming nurse and she took my bloods. The results were returned within 3hrs and I was given blood thinners to support me over the weekend. I returned to the acute assessment unit on Monday for an ultrasound and again was greeted by a friendly, approachable team of staff. At no point did I feel stressed by the situation and felt at ease throughout my both visits. I was seen for an ultrasound quickly with a clot being found. The doctor (whose name I sadly cannot remember) who then consulted with me was faultless. Very knowledgable and able to offer superb advice. I asked a lot of questions and he made me feel relaxed throughout the feedback. The whole experience of coming to Derriford makes me realise what a great service the NHS provide and I am very thankful to have been seen quickly and been given the course of treatment to support me on my recovery. Thank you to all the staff that helped me on both my visits.
Visited Accident and emergency services on February 2023
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 02 March 2023
Dear Chris Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback about your experiences in ED and AAU. I have passed on your positive words to both teams who will greatly appreciate your kind comments. We hope you are recovering well. Many thanks Sophie O’keefe Cluster Group Co-Ordinator Acute Medicine, Emergency Services, Diabetes & Endocrinology
Provided by Care opinion
-
Review titled Appalling experience.
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by James Read - Posted on 25 February 2023
I suffer with Fibromyalgia, CFS, Insomnia, Chronic lower back pain, neck pain, knee and hip pain. While explaining how unhappy I am in life due to my quality of life, and that I believe there is something that hasn't been diagnosed causing the issue, the consultant asked me "why do you want a label for it?" Aside from the fact that that's why people come to hospitals, to be diagnosed and treated, I was insulted that my in-depth answers were taken and ignored. I was treated with no compassion or understanding and am still having to put up with daily debilitating chronic pain, lack of energy, and having little to no restorative sleep. His solution was a body reprogramming course for I weeks, reading online materials, and no helpful medication or route to insomnia diagnosis and treatment. I can't be the best father to my 3yr old daughter, or the best partner to my woman, I barely shower or keep basic routines, and I can barely do any housework. I'm bedbound exhausted 14-18 hours a day with pain and no sleep, yet I'm expected to take up an 8 week course. Yet another specialist unit, another appointment, and yet again, I feel unlistened to, not taken seriously, and like I'm unable to get my life back. I hope others aren't in the same boat. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gainful Excersize Therapy, Body Reprogramming. These are not helpful therapies, and has been proven time over. Nice guidelines even stopped suggesting them! I asked to be taken off of the duloxitine as it's being used off-label for pain management but it's effects aren't noticed by me - the person I saw ignored that too. Recent studies also show chronic pain users that are perscribed antidepressants for off label pain management, 71% of patients end up with dementia or other memory issues. I'm heavily disappointed in my experience, and want to be taken seriously but this appointment has been more of the same previous experiences I've had. I understand I have neuropathic pain, but I also have chronic back and neck pain that the gabapentin simply won't touch, or my damaged knees and hip, or my burning feet, or lactic acid build up in muscles from simply walking 50 meters.
Visited Pain Management on February 2023
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 27 February 2023
Dear Mr Read I am so sorry to read about the problems you have experienced. Whilst I can see your name, I wonder if you could please get in touch with our Patient Advice & Liaison team (PALS) to let us know which area or speciality this relates to. That way, we can look into your concerns and ask the service involved to respond to you directly. PALS can be contacted on 01752 439884, or by email at plh-tr.PALS@nhs.net I have registered your contact under PALS 71228, so please quote this when you contact PALS so they can align your website comment. Many thanks Alison Stanton Patient Services
-
Review titled Failure
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Paul Worthing - Posted on 09 February 2023
For the past 2 days I have tried to get through to the X Ray department to arrange date . This I was told to do by my GP. After having spent hours on the phone listening to totally irrelevant messages and piped music and trying several numbers including the switchboard I have used all of my £15 credit on my phone with absolutely no chance of speaking to anyone.
Visited Don't know on February 2023
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 10 February 2023
Dear Mr Worthing I am so sorry to hear about your difficulties in getting touch with the X-ray department. If you give PALS a call on 01752 439884 or email them at plh-tr.PALS@nhs.net they will be able to help you. Many thanks Alison Stanton Patient Services
-
Review titled What on earth is the situation with the pharmacy?
by sculptorzf84 - Posted on 13 February 2023
What on earth is the situation with the pharmacy at Derriford Hospital? My husband was seen by his consultant and given a prescription which we could only get at the hospital pharmacy. The queue was as far back as the M&S shop and over an hour wait outside in the cold. My husband has asbestosis of the lungs which was exacerbated by a chest infection and waiting out in the cold made things worse. They were obviously doing medications for wards etc as well as serving the public with prescriptions and over the counter sales with limited staff. There were people in the queue with obvious serious health issues (it is a hospital!), cannot believe the situation
Visited February 2023
Provided by Care opinion
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 28 February 2023
On behalf of University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, I would like to apologise for the poor service you experienced recently whilst using the outpatient pharmacy that is provided in partnership with Lloyds Pharmacy. The level of service that you received is well below the standard that both ourselves and Lloyd’s pharmacy expect and aspire to deliver, and I would like to take this opportunity to explain some of the current issues we are facing and most importantly, what we are doing about them so that all our patients receive a better service. As an NHS Trust the number of patients we are treating has now returned to pre-pandemic levels and beyond as we try to recover from the impact this had on waiting times for our patients. This has meant that we have simply outgrown the current outpatient pharmacy, leading to us not being able to provide a service that we are proud of and this, at times, is resulting in long waiting times for people to hand in and collect prescription. By the end of 2023 we will have moved our outpatient pharmacy to a new on-site location that will be more than double the size of the current premises. This will allow for a wide range of changes to take place such as the recruitment of more staff, increased use of automation as well as using this opportunity to ensure we are offering the most recent innovations around our service. We will be including some aspects of a home delivery service for patients who meet certain criteria as well as looking to maximise the use of local pharmacies where possible. All of which is aimed at improving the patient experience and shortened waiting times. I hope this outlines our plans for the medium to long term, but I also wanted to provide you with some assurance about some immediate actions that we have either already implemented or will be implementing soon. Lloyds have increased the number of staff in the store as much as space allows to speed up the dispensing process. These extra staff will also allow staff to be free to walk the queue, collecting any prescriptions that are waiting to be handed in, to communicate how long the wait is likely to be and to allow patients to find somewhere more comfortable to wait or to allow them to leave and return later to collect. We are also working on ways to reduce the demands placed on Lloyds through utilising other services such as homecare services where patients with a long-term need for medicines can have them supplied without the prescription needing to be processed through the outpatient pharmacy. We hope that the impact of all these actions will help us to provide a better service than what has been your experience whilst we deliver our longer-term plans. Can I once again apologise for the experience that you have had and thank you for bringing these issues to our attention. Dan Stevens | Associate Director of Operations - Pharmacy
-
Review titled Outstanding care on Bickleigh ward
by Paul Taylor - Posted on 13 February 2023
I had chest pains and thought I just had a touch of heartburn, but on the day in question and after having this pain for a week I was hit hard with the pain and decided it was time to visit A&E. Long story short, I had had a heart attack. The treatment from the moment of walking in to the day I left (5 days later) was nothing short of outstanding, from every member of staff I met. Each and everyone was caring, attentive and nothing was too much trouble. If they spotted a difference on the rate of my heart no matter what time of the day, they were there with the ECG machine to make sure I was okay, if they noticed I’d ran out of water they were there. I simply can’t express my gratitude enough, so from the bottom of my newly stented heart thank you so so much Bickleigh ward.
Visited February 2023
Provided by Care opinion
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 14 February 2023
Dear Paul, I hope you are recovering well from your stay and intervention you had on Bickleigh Ward. Thank you very much for your kind words and lovely positive feedback for the team. We are delighted to hear everyone was caring, attentive and outstanding during your stay. The nursing team work hard to provide the best possible care to all our patients, and it really does make a difference and means so much receiving feedback from you about your experience. I am delighted to be sharing this with the team. Thank you. Kind Regards Becky McKerracher Ward Manager Cardiology Bickleigh Ward
-
Review titled Thank you for your care and compassion
by fornaxbh57 - Posted on 22 December 2023
My husband was sadly diagnosed with CMML2 leukaemia , he had regular blood transfusions and platelets in Birch 3 times a week. It’s taken me a while to write this, but I must say that all the nurses and consultants on this ward were amazing! They were so welcoming, called my husband by his first name, nothing was too much trouble, they work so hard but still have time for a chat and a joke which made a horrible time more bearable for him. I’d like to thank everyone in Birch ward for their care and compassion during his time there. Sadly he died, but they tried everything they could to save him, and for that , even though I’ve left it late to say, I’m truly grateful, thank you everyone!
Visited February 2023
Provided by Care opinion
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 02 January 2024
Thank you so much! It’s so lovely to receive such positive feedback about the team, I will ensure that this is shared across the team, I know this will mean a lot to them. We pride ourselves on providing the best patient centred care in a positive caring environment. It’s lovely to know that it is appreciated and helps people during some of the most difficult times of their lives. Kind regards Kelly Kelly Allmett RN Senior Sister/ Lead Apheresis- Birch Day Case Unit
-
Review titled special service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by David Cole - Posted on 16 February 2023
a lot of care and a great helpfulness in what could have been a very trying situation helping you to relax and talking you through every stage as it progressed. all in all a very professional job
Visited Colorectal cancer services on February 2023
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 23 February 2023
Dear Mr Cole Many thanks for taking the time to post such lovely comments. Would you mind contacting our Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) with the service line/speciality details? It would be good to know which team provided such a good service so that we can share it with them. PALS can be contacted by email at plh-tr.PALS@nhs.net or by phone on 01752 439 884. Thank you again Alison Stanton Patient Services
-
Review titled Lovely staff and fast, efficient service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Helen Jones - Posted on 28 February 2023
The ambulance arrived at my home within 20 minutes of me calling 999. The three female paramedics were professional and kind, and established after tests that I needed to attend hospital. They warned me there would be a delay at the hospital and I may have to wait outside A&E in the ambulance. But on arrival I was taken straight inside and they carried out the handover, and I had an ECG and bloods taken, then was taken to the waiting area. I was seen by a doctor just over an hour afterwards. All in all it took just over 6 hours from when I rang 999 to when I was discharged with medication and advice. During my waiting time a consultant updated the waiting room on the waiting times/how many patients were waiting which was very helpful and great customer service. I am very impressed with how hockey and efficiently I was dealt with and how I was kept up to date. Considering the huge constraints under which the NHS is currently operation, the service was marvellous.
Visited Accident and emergency services on February 2023
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 02 March 2023
Dear Helen, Thank you for taking the time to leave the ED such positive feedback. I have shared your comments with the rest of the team who will be grateful to receive your kind words. We hope that you are recovering well. Thanks Sophie O’keefe Cluster Group Co-Ordinator Acute Medicine, Emergency Services, Diabetes & Endocrinology
Provided by Care opinion
-
Review titled Professional, efficient and so caring...
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Serge G - Posted on 14 February 2023
Contrary to previous review, my experience at the imaging department was simply excellent, from the time I booked over the phone to the reception staff, the nurses and the radiologist. Not only efficient and professional but so friendly and caring. Please convey my thanks to all the team.
Visited Diagnostic Imaging on February 2023
Review titled Derriford Hospital
Replied on 15 March 2023
Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience while visiting the Imaging department. Your feedback is very much appreciated, and we will ensure it is passed onto the team 😊 Many thanks, Paige Robinson Medical Imaging Support Manager
Information supplied by University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust