Calderdale Royal Hospital

I will have to write up a report of my consultation which took place yesterday. Just had to inform your today about my terrible experience with this so called health professional. Speaking as an ex NHS manager I am really shocked.

Terrible. Treated like a nuisance. Felt unable to express anything. Being 26 with widespread inflammation and severe pain, I was struggling psychologicaly with the condition. The Rheumatologist I saw at Halifax hospital, after seeing me break down in tears, not just from physical pain, responded with "Yes, ok." No more was said, no information on support groups/organisations, no empathy, horrendous bedside manner! I now refuse to attend any rheumatology appointments at Halifax. That woman was the worst medical professional I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with. And after all this I was given a diagnosis of post infection Inflammatory Arthritis, put on corticosteroids, sent packing. Halifax hospital then messed up the follow up consultation appointment, which they made me wait over 3 months for, only to cancel it and the same rheumatologist to then discharge me, without a final physical consultation-with the advice I would recover and it was unlikely to return. I then spent 9 months attempting to physically recover, even though severe pain and stiffness continued, which I obviously had no means to inform rheumatology about as she discharged me. Just as I was preparing to return to work, inflammation returned, put back on Corticosteroids by my GP who then sends me to Huddersfield acre mills rheumatology department to a rheumatologist who actually examined the whole body, every joint, asked more questions, did more tests, who has finally, 3 years after my halifax rheumatology chaos, given me an accurate diagnosis, with amazing information and support, referred me to occupation therapy and physiotherapy. Halifax hospital never gave me the rheumatology nurses advice line, even throughout the 6months I was taking Prednisolone. I would not recommend Halifax hospital for anything. And am sickened that should I suffer a serious accident I will soon end up at Halifax A&E rather than Huddersfield.

111 sent an ambulance for my grandson who was staying with us, experiencing breathing difficulties (3 years old). Paramedics were brilliant and said that my daughter had done the right thing calling 111. However the doctor at Calderdale A&E was dreadful. Before being seen my daughter heard him complaining that he had seen five children that day. He checked my grandsons vital organs which were fine so he just sent them away despite the distress and difficulty in breathing. The following day my grandson was prescribed an inhaler by the GP which helped enormously. The whole attitude and lack of care was distressing and a little boy had to suffer 18 hours longer than he needed to.

Very helpful nurse. A lot of information given. Contact when required mobile number given.

I took my daughter to see an ENT specialist after she had been diagnosed with some hearing problems. I chose Calderdale as this was the hospital with the first available appointment and had a good NHS Choices rating. We went into what we thought was the reception for the ENT department and after speaking to the receptionist (mentioning that it was for an ENT apoointment) we were ushered to a check-in machine and to sit in the child-friendly area to wait. After waiting for 30 minutes, a nurse came to find us and told us they had been looking everywhere for us - I did say that I had spoken to the receptionist and followed her instructions, so it seems that I wasn't listened to and robotically sent somewhere we weren't supposed to be. My daughter had to have a secondary hearing test, which I felt wasn't as professionally done as in Dewsbury Hospital and then after another long time of waiting, we finally saw the specialist who had three other people with him whom he hurredly introduced to me (one was a student and I still don't know who the other people were) and asked if it was okay for them to stay. He said my daughter's hearing was fine and there were no issues. I was extremely relieved about this but it would have been nice if he had been more personable and taken the time to explain why this was the case...maybe even speaking to my daughter considering it was her ears we were talking about? My daughter's appointment felt more like a lesson for the students rather than an appointment being made for her benefit. I'm glad her hearing is fine now but I didn't think it was a great experience overall.

Admitted with suspected heart attack. Very prompt treatment in A&E and then moved to CCU. Medical treatment/diagnostic test speedy and thorough but then lost our way a bit. Not sure if I needed to stay on ward. Overheard nursing staff saying I need not be, but no doctor around (Friday pm) to sign me off. In the end this was agreed, but poor follow up with GP for further tests. GP unhappy - he had to fund these, saying hospital should have carried them out. Poor sequence and delay in getting tests.

Car parking- As you have no means of knowing how long you will be in an appointment there is uncertainty of how much to put into pay and display.

Long wait for operation October-April. Cataract and macular pucker

first class care and staff were very patient as I was very nervous.

Every member of staff I had contact with on the children's ward were exceptional! From cleaners, food servers, craft co ordinator, doctors and nurses. There wasn't anything that was too much trouble for them. They were kind, caring and professional.