William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Kennington Road, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0LZContact details and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
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Reviews
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Review titled No communication or Care
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 November 2023
My Dad was unfortunately admitted to A&E after having collapsed at home. We had an MRI scan to find that he has a critical condition. Since being admitted at the beginning of the week we have seen no less than 17 doctors / nurses. We’ve been moved 6 times around different wards whilst seeing other patients in corridors. The lack of communication is outstanding, not one department talks to another and every ward we go to we have to explain why my father is here. We have had to pull nurses and doctors to push for CT scans, MRI and updates which when you are beyond emotions and trying to spend time with someone who is terminally ill is beyond horrific and not what you expect from the healthcare. I understand the NHS is short staff and in need of financial funding but compassion and communication is really what is needed.
Visited Accident and emergency services on November 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 13 November 2023
Thank you for sending your feedback. However I am so sorry to read that you feel staff didn't provide any communication and that you had to keep pushing staff for tests. If I was in your situation and had been moved around as much as your Father had I would be frustrated too, not to mention a little scared if I was in your Father's shoes. It is so important to provide updates and to have a good bedside manner. I will make sure to share your post with the Team.
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Review titled We bailed out to Kent and Canterbury
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 20 November 2023
Attended A&E at WHH on advice of ambulance service who were concerned my daughter had a kidney stone sent to urgent care after about 30 mins at 10pm we were advised waiting time was going to increase to 4 hours and most likely 5.5 hours by 12:00 one staff member shared that she wouldn’t bring her own family to William Harvey for treatment due to the poor care we left the department just after 10pm and raced to Kent and Canterbury their GP was fully booked but they found a doctor to see my daughter who was amazing we were there for about 4 hours and she was brought back the following morning to be scanned and see the consultant thank goodness for Kent and Canterbury hospital I am a registered nurse and must say I am horrified at the poor care and lack of emotional intelligence I have witnessed in recent weeks at William Harvey I completed my nurse training there and am totally ashamed to admit that I fear being unwell in the future
Visited Accident and emergency services on November 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 21 November 2023
Thank you for your feedback. I am so sorry that your daughter had such a bad experience when attending A&E at the William Harvey Hospital. I completely appreciate how upsetting, concerning and difficult this must have been for you as her parent being told that your daughter would have to wait for such a long time whilst in pain. However I am so glad that she managed to get the medical treatment she needed at Kent & Canterbury. I will make sure to pass on your feedback to the department. If you would like to discuss your experience further, please contact the Patient Voice & Involvement Team via our email address: ekh.patientvoice@nhs.net
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Review titled Amazing and outstanding service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 04 November 2023
This review is for not for just one dept but a few. Firstly when my daughter had her first baby February 2023 the maternity unit and labour ward, staff were amazing. From the doctors, nurses down to the auxiliary staff. Then when my daughter had to come in with her son as he had bronchiolitis from the ambulance paramedics, emergency dept staff, xray and then to padua ward. Thanks to all the staff along the way for your care, skill, patience and time.
Visited Child health care services on November 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 06 November 2023
Thank you so much for sending your feedback and kind words. I will make sure to share your post with staff in the departments mentioned.
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Review titled Terrible communication
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 November 2023
Little to no communication from staff about what the care plan is. Son sleeping on my lap in a waiting room which is conveniently out of sight of the reception, perfect for being ignored for hours. Random people (maybe doctors, i dont know, they did not intorduce themselves) coming in to say he needs a blood test, no he needs a cannula, his chest xray is quite bad, so we just sit here in limbo with little to no communication, i have gone out of the waiting room twice to find out what is happening to be told they dont know where the doctors have gone. Brilliant. All the while my son feels worse and worse. I understand there is no beds, but does that also mean you cannot communicate with your patients and make them feel supported? As a parent who has never taken a child to hospital before, this experience was awful. So much anxiety and fear about what is happening with my child. Where is the consideration? Where is the upholding of the 6 NHS core values? Communication is a basic fundamental principle of any healthcare professionals training, how is that it can be completely forgotten about? Do childrens medical staff not get training on how to communicate and support parents?
Visited Paediatrics services on November 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 13 November 2023
I am so sorry to read your post. You are absolutely right staff should be communicating with you and your son in the least and providing some form of bed side manner. Could you advise which department at the William Harvey this happened in? If you would like us to look into what happened, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on tel: 01227 783145 or email: ekh-tr.pals@nhs.net. PALS are open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, except bank holidays. If you phone and get the voicemail please leave a message and the team will get back to you.
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Review titled Walking Angel
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Dawn E H - Posted on 07 January 2024
I had a traumatic drive to have my blood taken at WH wen I got there I was in bits I thought I was hiding it well, the beautiful lady name began with S took my blood spoke softly to me putting me at ease I can honestly say I have never been so touched by a compleat stranger! You will know who you are! They don’t make that many of you to the pound 💚x
Visited Phlebotomy on November 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 08 January 2024
Thank you so much for your kind and beautiful words. I am so glad that you received such amazing patient care and will make sure to share with the team so that the individual can hopefully be identified and made aware.
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Review titled Care and helpfulness
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Tracey mort - Posted on 23 November 2023
To the lovely lady today who bent over backwards to help with my blood test form thankyou and keep doing what you do care
Visited Phlebotomy on November 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 28 November 2023
Thank you so much for sending your lovely feedback. I am so pleased to see that a staff member really put herself out to make sure you were provided with such a great service and its so kind of you to acknowledge her work. In order for me to pass your message on to the staff member and her team please could you provide details of the hospital site you was attending and if you know the department that this particular staff member works in. I look forward to from you.
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Review titled 14+ hour wait to be seen
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 17 October 2023
I was taken via ambulance to A&E due to sudden severe pain in my chest and left arm. There was about an hours wait for the ambulance but the paramedics were really good when they arrived. My ECG was fine so the issue wasn't immediately life threatening but they said I needed two blood tests four hours apart to rule out other heart conditions. In addition, I am 18 weeks pregnant. I was waiting 2 hours in A&E with no communication or explanation before finally getting "triaged" and having my first blood test. No one checked the heartbeat of my baby or did a scan (maybe a scan wasn't needed, but I would have thought they should have checked the heartbeat). Nothing was said about getting a second blood test, I was just told to wait in the 'major' unit to see a doctor for the result of my first blood test. When I got there, the place was jam packed and people were laying on the floors. I was told the wait to see a doctor was 14 hours! (Bearing in mind the 1 hour wait for the ambulance, the half hour drive to the hospital, and the 2 hour wait we had already had). At this point the pain had gone and it didn't seem like the second blood test or a check on the baby would be happening so I self discharged. I was told I could get the results of the blood test from my GP on Monday but it's now Tuesday and the results still haven't been sent to my surgery. I am still in the dark as to what happened to me and have no reassurance that the baby is ok. I would avoid going to this A&E unless you really have no choice.
Visited Accident and emergency services on October 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 19 October 2023
Thank you for sending your feedback. I am so sorry to read of the terrible time you had when recently attending A&E. This is not the way we expect our patients to be treated. Given the fact that your pregnant and the guidance you was given was that you needed two blood tests four hours apart, I am surprised that staff did not check on you or arrange these tests. I am worried that you have still not been contacted since and that some of these tests have still not been arranged. Please could you email ekhuft.patientvoice@nhs.net with your name and contact number so we can get somebody to contact you or alternatively you could speak to our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on tel: 01227 783145 or email: ekh-tr.pals@nhs.net. PALS are open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, except bank holidays. If you phone and get the voicemail please leave a message and the team will get back to you.
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Review titled Shocking experience - lack of communication was terrible
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 16 October 2023
My mother fell over and hit her head badly on the pavement. She was covered in blood, badly bruised, shocked and in pain. Arriving in A&E she didn't see a triage nurse for 8 hours. After we had been there for 10 hours we were told that there was one doctor on duty and that we should all travel to Canterbury if we wanted to be seen as there would be a further 14 hour wait! When we tried to discharge her to travel to Canterbury we were told that as she had a serious head injury they didn't want us to leave - so we had to move to a different ward where people were lying all over the floor waiting as there were not enough chairs - she was finally seen by a doctor at 2.30am 9 hours after arriving and then she was told that she had to have a CT scan as she might have a bleed on the brain. She finally had this after 10 hours at 3.30am and then we had the results at 4.30am. At 5.30am - 12 hours after arriving, a nurse came over and did a tiny bit of cleaning up. That was all she needed and we were up all night without sleep while my mum was in pain. Absolutely shocking that despite being told that the bleeding might be serious we couldn't even have a nurse or doctor check her over. The lack of staffing and lack of communication was terrible. At one stage after an 11 hour wait two of the nurses had an argument about who should clean my mum up as they didn't think it was their job. Appalling.
Visited Accident and emergency services on October 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 17 October 2023
Thank you for sending your feedback. I am so sorry to read that your Mother had such a bad time, especially given the injury she had sustained and the condition she was in. I completely understand your worries and frustrations and this is not the way we would expect our patients to be treated. If you would like us to look into what happened, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on tel: 01227 783145 or email: ekh-tr.pals@nhs.net. PALS are open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, except bank holidays. If you phone and get the voicemail please leave a message and the team will get back to you. I will pass your feedback onto the department.
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Review titled Appointment reminders
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 03 September 2023
Fed up with text/phone reminders requiring response only to be followed up with vague phone message re forthcoming appointment - if you don't take calls leave more details as you never do recall within 24hrs - do I assume you're cancelling? rescheduling? I'd already confirmed I'd attend by earlier text. Overkill. Pointless. Stressful as I initially cancelled an appointment for fear of being bumped off list because I couldn't confirm my appointment only to turn up on hastily rescheduled appointment to be told I'd cancelled. By the way I'm a cancer patient and anxious not to waste time/appointments only to be stressed to the heavens by this system.
Visited Day treatment services on September 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 04 September 2023
Thank you for taking the time to give us your positive feedback. I am so sorry, this is really not what any patients should have to deal with, let alone when suffering with Cancer. I will pass this feedback onto the department as this really needs to be looked in. I will come back to you regarding this matter and advise on what is happening to rectify this issue.
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Review titled Excellent Service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Ann Bailey - Posted on 30 August 2023
I was staying in the area en route to France for 6 weeks. Two weeks prior to my journey to Folkestone I had been extremely unwell with a gastric infection. I was not really fully recovered but convinced myself I would improve. Unfortunately I developed further, different gastric symptoms and became concerned about my decision to travel. I phoned 111 and was advised to attend William Harvey. I cannot fault the speedy, efficient, caring and kind service provided by the urgent treatment centre staff. Clinical decisions and assessments were undertaken in a timely manner and I did not have to keep repeating my story. The on call GP listened to my concerns, examined me thoroughly and carefully. I cannot fault her explanation of what was going on, how to manage my symptoms and what to expect from the medication prescribed. She was kind, professional and reassuring. She even started treatment immediately by obtaining one tablet rather than having to wait for a chemist to open the following day, Patient centred care. The NHS at its best. Thank you,
Visited Accident and emergency services on August 2023
Review titled William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)
Replied on 31 August 2023
Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. I’m pleased you were treated so well and had such a positive experience. I will make sure to share your kind words with the Team.
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Information supplied by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust